Exact quantities, then the method.
Earl Grey Rooibos latte is a caffeine-free take on the London Fog, the cafe latte of Earl Grey, vanilla and steamed milk. Swapping black Earl Grey for Dragonfly Organic Earl Grey Rooibos keeps the bergamot and the comfort of the original, while letting you drink it late in the evening without it keeping you up.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the Caffeine-Free London Fog (Earl Grey Rooibos Latte) recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/earl-grey-latte/caffeine-free-london-fog-earl-grey-rooibos-latte/
Two things make it taste like the real thing rather than just sweet milky tea. Brew the rooibos double-strength so the bergamot carries through the milk, and add the smallest pinch of culinary lavender to the hot concentrate, then strain it out. An eighth of a teaspoon is plenty; any more and the cup turns soapy.
You'll need
- 2 Dragonfly Organic Earl Grey Rooibos pyramid bags
- 100ml freshly drawn water, brought to a true rolling boil
- 200ml whole milk (or barista-style oat milk for a vegan version)
- 1 tbsp vanilla syrup (homemade with 30g sugar, 30ml water, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, or a good shop-bought bottle)
- 1/8 tsp dried culinary lavender buds (a small pinch; more turns the cup soapy)
- A small grating of unwaxed lemon zest, to garnish
- 1 thin lemon peel curl, to garnish (optional)
Method
- Drop the 2 Earl Grey Rooibos pyramids into a small heatproof jug and pour over the 100ml of rolling-boiling water. Cover with a small saucer and steep for eight full minutes for a double-strength concentrate.
- While the concentrate steeps, pour the 200ml of whole milk into a small saucepan and heat over a medium-low flame to about 65 to 70C. The milk should be steaming hot but well below a simmer.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and froth the warm milk with an electric milk frother, an immersion blender or a French-press plunger for thirty to forty seconds until the volume has roughly doubled and the foam is thick and silky.
- Lift the bags from the concentrate, press each gently against the side of the jug, and discard.
- While the concentrate is still hot, drop the tiny 1/8 teaspoon pinch of dried culinary lavender buds straight into the jug. Stir once and leave the lavender to infuse for two minutes.
- After two minutes, strain the concentrate through a fine sieve into a warmed tall mug or latte glass, catching and discarding the lavender buds. The strain matters; biting into a lavender bud later ruins the cup.
- Stir the 1 tablespoon of vanilla syrup into the warm strained concentrate.
- Pour the steamed milk slowly down the side of the glass into the concentrate, holding back the foam with the back of a spoon. The drink should layer briefly into red and white before merging into a soft tan colour.
- Spoon the held-back foam on top of the latte in a thick foam cap that stands proud of the rim.
- Garnish the foam cap with a small grating of unwaxed lemon zest in three or four passes (the lemon oil reinforces the bergamot), and tuck the optional lemon peel curl in at the side. Serve straight away with a long spoon.
The tea it is made with, and what to make next.
- Earl Grey Latte (London Fog)
- London Fog
- London Fog (Earl Grey Latte)
- Earl Grey Rooibos, with Lemon or Cream same tea
- Iced Earl Grey Lemonade with Thyme same tea
All Earl Grey Latte and London Fog Recipes →
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Brewed with: Dragonfly Organic Earl Grey Rooibos, 40 Tea Bags 100g
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