Sometimes simple is better, and this easy recipe for Hojicha au Lait is just that.
What is Hojicha au Lait?
Hojicha au Lait is the tea equivalent of Café au Lait, which translates to coffee with milk. Instead of espresso or strongly brewed coffee, Hojicha au Lait stars freshly brewed hojicha made with Hojicha Powder. The ratio for Hojicha au Lait is equal parts tea and milk, which makes it easy to adapt this recipe for any size cup or mug.
How do you brew Hojicha Powder?
Hojicha Powder is a Japanese tea powder that is prepared by whisking it with water using a spoon, frother, or traditional bamboo whisk. In this recipe, we keep things simple by using a spoon. Preparing hojicha with a spoon is similar to how you may prepare a hot cocoa. The best tip to remember is to always start with a minimal amount of water for a perfectly smooth hojicha.
How do you prepare Hojicha au Lait?
Hojicha au Lait is prepared by stirring Hojicha Powder with a small amount of hot water until combined, and then adding the rest of the hot water followed by hot milk. After a quick stir, your hot drink is ready to enjoy.
While we usually opt for adding a bit of sugar to this drink, this is completely optional and up to your personal preference and mood. If you'd like to use a sweetener, feel free to add granulated sweeteners with the tea powder while saving any liquid sweeteners for the end.
And that's that! Now you're ready to make Hojicha au Lait the next time you're feeling sleepy early in the morning, or when you want to quickly make something to sip on before you curl up on the couch and watch a movie after a long day.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Hojicha Powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- 120 ml filtered water, divided
- 120 ml milk (we used soy milk)
Instructions
- Add 1 teaspoon of Hojicha Powder and 1 teaspoon sugar (optional) into your favorite mug. Stir together.
- Add 60 ml of 80C (175F) water, and stir until smooth.
- Add the remaining 60 ml of hot water, and 120 ml of your choice of steamed milk.
- Stir and enjoy.
