Perfect Ted Vanilla Bean Matcha: A First Matcha Latte

Vanilla is here to soften the savoury, grassy edge of matcha rather than to hide it, which is why this is the easier of the brand's tins to start with. Whisked to a paste and topped up with warm milk, it gives you the coffee-shop vanilla matcha latte at home.

Coconut sugar, Japanese matcha and vanilla

The published list reads coconut sugar, ceremonial grade Japanese matcha, natural flavour and coconut milk. So the powder is sweetened already, and the label names the matcha as Japanese. Coconut milk is on the list, yet the published ingredients name none of the fourteen major allergens; as always, the current UK pack is the one to check.

In the cup, vanilla leads with a warm, creamy note rather than a sugary one, and the green tea depth stays clearly present underneath. Bitterness is moderate and almost entirely in your hands: it comes from water that is too hot rather than from the powder. The texture is thick and a little coating, since you are drinking the ground leaf itself.

Getting the dose and the paste right

One to two grams per drink is the usual range, roughly half to one level teaspoon. Start small, because the vanilla builds faster than the tea. At that dose a 75g tin makes somewhere between thirty-seven and seventy-five drinks by our own arithmetic, but the pack states its own serving size, so follow that first.

Let a boiled kettle stand for three or four minutes, to about 80C. Sieve the powder into the mug, because clumps in the tin never whisk out, add a splash of that water and whisk it smooth, then top up with warm oat or dairy milk. A small electric frother does the job well; boiling water is the one mistake to avoid.

Vanilla Bean or the other Perfect Ted powders

Of the brand's powders we stock, Vanilla Bean makes the warm, rounded latte. Strawberry, also 75g, is the fruitier one that shines over ice, and the plain Ceremonial Grade Matcha in 30g is for drinking neat with water. If the idea of grassy green tea has put you off matcha before, this is the tin we would suggest first.

Because it is sweetened and flavoured, it is not the one for baking or for a plain bowl; buy the ceremonial powder for that. Keep the lid firmly closed, as a milled powder gives up its aroma quickly and a tin left half open loses its scent long before it is finished. Matcha is caffeinated, so this is a morning drink and a sensible swap for a mid-morning coffee.

The packs we stock

• Perfect Ted Vanilla Bean Matcha, 75g (barcode 5060941970379)

What the label says

The published list for Perfect Ted Vanilla Bean Matcha (75g, barcode 5060941970379) includes none of the 14 major allergens. The vanilla matcha tin on sale now is the one to read; recipes and allergen notes do change.

Ingredients, as published: Coconut Sugar, Ceremonial Grade Japanese Matcha, Natural Flavour, Coconut Milk.

Ingredient and nutrition data for this barcode: Open Food Facts (openfoodfacts.org), ODbL. Your vanilla bean tin is the final word.

What to eat with it

• Lu Le Petit Beurre Biscuits With Butter & a Hint of Salt, 167g: Butter and a hint of salt give a sweet vanilla latte something savoury to push against.
• Border Butterscotch Crunch Organic Biscuits, 135g: Butterscotch and vanilla share a warm, caramel register, which makes this the cosy choice for a winter latte.
• Loacker Classic Napolitaner Hazelnut Wafers, 90g: Hazelnut and vanilla is a familiar latte combination, and a light wafer will not weigh down a milky drink.
• McVitie's Rich Tea Biscuits, 300g: The plain choice, for dipping into a warm latte without piling on more sweetness.

Elsewhere in the Perfect Ted range

• Perfect Ted Ceremonial Grade Matcha, 30g
• Perfect Ted Strawberry Matcha, 75g

The full range is on the Perfect Ted brand page.

FAQ

How much Vanilla Bean Matcha should I use per drink? One to two grams, about half to one level teaspoon. Start small, and check the serving size printed on the pack.

Is there sugar in Perfect Ted Vanilla Bean Matcha? Yes. Coconut sugar heads the published ingredient list.

Does vanilla matcha have caffeine? Yes. It is made from green tea leaf, so it is a caffeinated drink best kept to the earlier part of the day.

Can I make it with water instead of milk? You can, at about 80C, but we think the vanilla is at its best in a latte with warm oat or dairy milk.

Which of these matchas is best for a beginner? We would start with Vanilla Bean, because the vanilla rounds off the grassy edge that puts many first-timers off.

Curator's note: If you are swapping your morning coffee for matcha, this is the tin to swap to: warm oat milk, one small spoonful, and do not rush the paste. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Perfect Ted Vanilla Bean Matcha: A First Matcha Latte

More from the tea wiki

• How to Make Tea Properly: The Eight Step Method
• Caffeine in Tea
• Tea Pairing Principles: Reason, Don't Memorise
• Matcha: How It Is Made and Prepared
• Builders' Tea: The Working Class Story

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