Vanilla Matcha Iced Tea (Thé Glacé Matcha Vanille)
Five minutes and one spoon trick stand between you and a layered vanilla matcha iced tea that looks like a café drink from a wood-paneled menu. The layers last about ten minutes. Take the photo before you take the first sip.
Equipment
- Matcha whisk or electric milk frother
- Fine-Mesh Strainer
- Tall clear glass
- Long-handled spoon
- Small saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ceremonial grade matcha powder
- 3 tablespoons hot water at 175°F
- 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
- 3/4 cup cold whole milk or barista-grade oat milk
- as needed large ice cubes
For the Vanilla Syrup (makes about 16 servings)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
Instructions
- Make the vanilla syrup once ahead of time: combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Take it off the heat, add 1 split vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and let it cool. Pour into a jar and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
- Sift 1 teaspoon of matcha through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl. This prevents lumps and bitter pockets of powder.
- Add 3 tablespoons of water at 175°F, just below boiling, and whisk in a rapid zig-zag motion until smooth and frothy, about 15 seconds. A single pulse with an electric frother also works.
- Fill a tall glass with large ice cubes. Pour in 3/4 cup cold milk and 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup, then stir the milk and syrup briefly so the syrup does not sink to the bottom.
- Hold a long spoon against the inside of the glass with the bottom just above the ice. Pour the matcha slowly down the back of the spoon so it lands in a layer on top instead of plunging through the milk.
- Serve without stirring. The layers will merge after about ten minutes, so take the photo first and let the drinker swirl it themselves.
Notes
Use 175°F water — boiling water scorches matcha and makes it bitter. If the pour goes wrong and the matcha mixes into the milk, it still tastes the same; the layers are optional. For a dairy-free version, barista-grade oat milk holds the layer best. The vanilla syrup keeps for two weeks in the fridge in an airtight jar.