I tried this iced. Iced chai, you say? I call it Iced Chai Latte! Although I think lattes have steamed milk in them or something—to constitute the “latte”—but heck if I know, and I like the name. It was inspired by Starbucks. Either because I looked at their menu and saw that they had “iced chai lattes”, or because I looked at the menu and thought “why DON’T they have iced chai lattes”.
It looks like Starbucks’ and Tim Hortons’ iced lattes, at any rate. That coffee cream colour with icecubes, that makes it look like an alcoholic drink—a coffee or chocolate liqueur—because no reasonable person would put icecubes in milk. I didn’t double the recipe because I remember this being so spicey on its own, and it does hold up quite well, although maybe I should have 1 + 1/2’d it or something, because the flavour is slightly weaker with the cold. Still very tastey.
Basically followed the usual stovetop recipe, sweetened with honey, then poured over icecubes. Ended up with three glasses, so the other two are in the fridge. I plan to share.
Very refreshing. The tea and spices aren’t so much in the sip as they are in the trailing aftertaste. But still, it hit the spot. Way better than spending four bucks at Starbucks for something similar. Although I’m sure theirs are sweeter. But mine’s homemade! Mmm.
Now that I think about it, condensed milk might have been an interesting alternative. Well, maybe not ALL condensed milk. Halfandhalf. Not that I have any, but it would have made it sweeter. It’s a thought for next time.
Or a dollop of whipped cream on top. With brown sugar and/or cinnamon sprinkled.
Preparation
Comments
Holy crap I love this tasting note! Yeah if it doesn’t have milk it’s not a latte- it’s just and iced chai. If you blended it, it would almost be a quick iced granita (depending on your chai:ice ratio) or slushy. Starbucks definitely has iced chai lattes, but unfortunately I can’t figure out how to use loose leaf w/ the iced version like I do the hot. Although if you didn’t put milk in yours, I doubt it looks like Starbucks’s version. Sometimes instead of milk I will put a scoop of ice cream (I actually use chocolate frozen yogurt) in the bottom of my glass and pour the chai over it. YUM! If you like chocolate and cayenne, I strongly recommend 52teas’s Mayan Chocolate Chai. It’s got me so spoiled it’s pretty much the only Chai I will drink much less like:)
I did use milk (added and heated in the pot after the tea steeped), but I figured, since steamed milk is part of what makes a latte a latte (otherwise it would be tea/coffee with milk?), they probably do the same thing/something similar before they ice it to make it a “proper” iced latte. Who knows! I suppose I’d have to look it up.
I should make my first 52Teas order at some point (that one’s on my List, though). Until then, maybe I should try something with Numi’s chocolate puerh. Hmmm.
Holy crap I love this tasting note! Yeah if it doesn’t have milk it’s not a latte- it’s just and iced chai. If you blended it, it would almost be a quick iced granita (depending on your chai:ice ratio) or slushy. Starbucks definitely has iced chai lattes, but unfortunately I can’t figure out how to use loose leaf w/ the iced version like I do the hot. Although if you didn’t put milk in yours, I doubt it looks like Starbucks’s version. Sometimes instead of milk I will put a scoop of ice cream (I actually use chocolate frozen yogurt) in the bottom of my glass and pour the chai over it. YUM! If you like chocolate and cayenne, I strongly recommend 52teas’s Mayan Chocolate Chai. It’s got me so spoiled it’s pretty much the only Chai I will drink much less like:)
I did use milk (added and heated in the pot after the tea steeped), but I figured, since steamed milk is part of what makes a latte a latte (otherwise it would be tea/coffee with milk?), they probably do the same thing/something similar before they ice it to make it a “proper” iced latte. Who knows! I suppose I’d have to look it up.
I should make my first 52Teas order at some point (that one’s on my List, though). Until then, maybe I should try something with Numi’s chocolate puerh. Hmmm.
Ah your 2nd sentence confused me- I thought you meant you skipped milk oops. Yes Numi’s chocolate pu erh is very good w/ milk even though it isn’t a chai- and YES! you need to make a 52teas purchase. In addition to Mayan Chocolate Chai you should try their Mayan Chocolate Pu Erh.