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A tea latte is one of the easiest cafe drinks to make well at home, once you understand it is concentrate plus milk, not weak tea with milk. This sits in the tea making cluster beside frothing milk.
The core idea
A latte is a strong tea concentrate diluted by a large volume of milk. Brew normal strength tea and the milk drowns it; brew a concentrate and it shines.
The concentrate
Steep double or triple the usual leaf in a small amount of water, correct temperature and time for the type, then strain. This little, intense base is the whole secret, see the temperature guide.
The milk
Steam or froth milk to taste; whole dairy and barista oat froth best, see best milk for tea and frothing milk.
Build it
Pour the hot concentrate into the cup, add the warmed milk, then spoon froth on top. Sweeten the concentrate while warm if at all, see sweetening.
Classic versions
Chai latte (spiced black concentrate), Earl Grey "London Fog" (with vanilla), matcha latte (whisked matcha, no steeping), see London Fog and matcha latte.
Best teas
Robust black, chai blends and roasted oolong stand up to milk; delicate green and white do not, see milk in green tea.
Summary
Strong concentrate, well frothed suitable milk, sweeten warm, robust tea. Master the concentrate and home tea lattes match the cafe, see chai from scratch.
A tea latte, at a glance
| Element | Rule |
|---|---|
| Core idea | A strong tea concentrate let down with milk, not weak tea plus milk |
| Concentrate | Brew roughly double strength so milk does not drown it |
| Milk | Dairy or oat; oat suits chai, hojicha and matcha well |
| Build | Concentrate, then warmed/frothed milk; sweeten to taste last |
| Classics | Chai, matcha, hojicha, London Fog (Earl Grey) |
Try the matching range, the English tea range and loose leaf range.
More tea reading
More from the tea wiki
- Green tea
- Black tea
- Oolong tea
- White tea
- Herbal tea
- Caffeine in tea
- How to make tea properly
- Loose leaf vs teabag
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