Homemade Chai Concentrate and Chai Latte

Do you drink Chai Lattes regularly but hate the hassle of steeping tea everyday?

In comes Chai Concentrate. They sell these at the store but they're normally chock full of sugars, preservatives, dairy, and who knows what else! It's easy to make at home, cheaper per cup, and much better for you. 

Traditional chai concentrate recipes usually call for many spices, sometimes hard to source, and call for using your oven/stove! We made a recipe that is easy to make and you can just use whatever chai blend you have on hand. We used our basic Chai for this recipe but it would be just as delightful with one of the other chai blends we offer. Now let's get down to business.

Homemade Chai Concentrate

Ingredients:

• 9 heaped tsp. loose-leaf Chai Tea
• 3 Cups Water
• 1/2 Cup Sugar, or to taste

Directions:

1. Add Tea into a warmed teapot. Boil 3 Cups of Water.
2. Pour water over tea. Steep for 5-7 Minutes. 
3. Add sugar into whatever vessel you will be storing your concentrate, preferably something glass. Once the tea is done steeping strain it over the sugar. Stir until sugar has fully dissolved. 
4. Let cool on counter, uncovered, to room temperature then store in the fridge, airtight, for up to two weeks.

Tips

• Let the concentrate cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating. This will prevent condensation from building up in the storage container and watering down your concentrated tea.
• Store in a glass container for best flavor retention. 
• Shake well before use as flavors may settle to the bottom. 
• You could also freeze some concentrate to use in a chai latte or other drinks that may taste nice with chai flavors imparted into them. Once frozen store in a freezer bag or other airtight container to prevent freezer burn. These ice cubes are good for up to 3 months when stored properly.

Now that you have your concentrate you can dilute it to your liking with milk or water. We recommend diluting with milk or a milk alternative to make a tasty chai latte. We left the recipe below.

Chai Latte with Cold Foam, using homemade Chai Concentrate

Ingredients:

• Homemade Chai Concentrate
• Milk or any Milk Alternative
• Heavy Cream
• 1-2 tsp. sugar, or to taste
• Cinnamon, to garnish

Directions:

1. Fill a glass with ice. Pour chai concentrate over ice. Add milk to desired level.
2. In a separate container, add heavy cream and sugar. Froth the mixture using a milk frother. Pour over your chai concentrate and milk mixture.
3. Top with cinnamon and enjoy.