Are you cutting down on coffee? Does the high acidity of coffee bother you? Are you looking to shift to teas? Does the vibrant green matcha color appeal to you? A warm matcha latte is the perfect start to a fall day. Isn’t it? Are you always on the lookout to improve your matcha game? I took matcha-making seriously last month. Since then, I have tried various ways to perfect my craft for the best fall matcha drinks.
Difference between ceremonial and culinary-grade matcha
Sourced from Japan, this green powder has a bit of a grassy taste. It’s a really interesting flavor. The taste can be polarizing for some people. Personally, I love the drink when it is made from ceremonial-grade matcha, which is much more flavorful and has a natural sweetness. Whereas the culinary grade one is only good for smoothies and baked items because of its slightly bitter taste. Here, I will also talk about the two best fall matcha drinks for the season that I absolutely love drinking.
Difference between traditional green tea and matcha tea
Green tea and matcha tea both derive from the same plant named Camellia sinensis. Matcha tea is rich in antioxidants and polyphenols for its unique historic cultivation techniques. The tea bushes need to be shaded for a few days before it is time for harvesting. This shading helps to boost the bioactive compounds in this tea, such as chlorophyll and theanine, which give matcha the umami flavor and rich green color. The shading before harvesting also improves the caffeine and amino acid contents in matcha powder.
In addition to vitamins and minerals, green tea contains phenolic substances such as flavonoids, flavonols, proanthocyanidins, and others. These substances aid in boosting the activity of antioxidant enzymes that assist the body in fighting oxidative stress and neutralizing free radicals, such as glutathione transferase and superoxide dismutase (SOD).
Bioactive compound level in matcha
Organically grown matcha has the bioactive compounds in this amount.
- Antioxidizing ability (FRAP)– 2112.96 +/- 333.51 mM/L
- Trolox equivalent antioxidant ability: 8.26 +/- 1.30 mM/L
- Polyphenols: 963.15 +/- 90.14 mg/L
- Flavonoids: 934.30 +/- 313.3 mg/L
- Vitamin C: 61.37 +/- 14.93 mg/ 100 mL
- Different harvest times will have different bioactive compound levels.
Source: From this scientific journal.
Tools required for making the perfect homemade matcha
- Chawan (Ceramic tea bowl)
- Chasen (Matcha whisk)
- Chashaku (Bamboo scoop)
- Whisk holder
- Stainless steel sifter
How to make matcha at home (easy steps)?
Matcha-making procedure: Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make matcha the way it is traditionally done-
- Step 1: Sift the Matcha
Get rid of any clumps in the matcha powder with a small sifter. This makes sure the drink is smooth and free of lumps.
- Step 2: Warm up the bowl
Put some hot water in your chawan (matcha bowl) and swirl it around to warm it up. Get rid of the water and dry the bowl.
- Step 3: Put in the matcha powder
Add about ½ to 1 teaspoon of matcha powder, which is about 1 to 2 grams.
- Step 4: Put in hot water
Get the water to about 160–175°F (70–80°C). Add two to three ounces (60 to 90 ml) of hot water to the bowl and sprinkle the matcha powder on top.
- Step 5: Mix the matcha with a whisk
Stir the matcha quickly with a bamboo whisk (chasen) in a “M” or “W” shape until it foams and is smooth. This needs to be done in 20 to 30 seconds. It’s important to get a nice layer of foam on top.
Flavors for best fall matcha drinks
Pumpkin spice matcha
It’s the ideal fall flavor that will make you feel comfortable and toasty.
- To make it, first sieve some sweet matcha and prepare it as described in the preceding paragraph.
- Pour 100–200 mL of heavy cream, pumpkin puree, ground ginger, and cinnamon into it to produce pumpkin spiced milk.
- Blend it quite well.
This beverage is ideal for a cozy day by the fireplace.
Calories and nutritional values
- Fat: 50 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Carbohydrate: 11 g
- Calorie: 550 cal
Feel free to change the milk if you are looking for low calorie drink.
Apple matcha drink: Tangy matcha drink
Here are the list of things you will need for this flavor
- ½ cup fresh apple juice if fresh juice is not available, you can purchase one from Torani.
In that case, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of this syrup to your drink.
- ½ -1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup/brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (plus a little extra for garnish)
Whisk together the matcha, warm milk, and apple cider in a cup. To make the drink sweeter and spicier, stir in the cinnamon and maple syrup.
Calories and nutritional values
- Fat: 50 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Carbohydrate: 34 g (added sugar- 23 g)
- Calorie: 650 cal
For a reduced-calorie beverage, swap out the heavy cream for almond, oat, or skim milk, and use freshly prepared thick apple juice in place of the Torani syrup.
Looking for a warm fuzzy snack? Check out this article for healthy bagel bites.
Best Keto Bagel Bites Recipe in 2 Ways : Baked and Air-fried