When it comes to Japanese beverages, I’m sure many of you are already well-acquainted with matcha. Today, I’d like to introduce another exciting Japanese beverage: Iced Hojicha Latte. This delightful drink enjoys popularity on par with Iced Matcha Latte and can be readily found on the menus of cafes across Japan. Its lower caffeine content makes it a favored choice among people of all ages. Personally, I adore its sweet, roasted aroma reminiscent of chestnuts. When served as an iced latte, it offers a truly refreshing and soothing experience. You need to try it!
What is Hojicha?
Hojicha (焙じ茶, ほうじ茶) is a type of roasted Japanese green tea that originated in Kyoto. It was first created in the 1920s by a tea farmer who pondered what to do with leftover tea leaves and decided to experiment by roasting them over charcoal. The result was the aromatic hojicha. Due to the roasting process, hojicha boasts significantly reduced caffeine levels while retaining the numerous health benefits of green tea. This tea is known for its soothing qualities, making it an effective stress reliever. Additionally, its polyphenols and vitamins A, C, and E contribute to anti-aging effects and support metabolism and the immune system. These compelling benefits alone make great reasons for us to savor hojicha in the comfort of our homes! You can find hojicha in both loose tea form or in fine powder, and enjoy the tea hot or cold, as a latte, or even in desserts! Check out my Cold Brew Hojicha recipe here. Here, we’re making a latte, so we’ll be using hojicha powder. It is similar to making a Matcha Latte where we whisk the powder with hot water until frothy and combine it with the steamed milk of choice.
How to Make Iced Hojicha Latte
The Ingredients You’ll Need
Hojicha (roasted green tea) powder – You can buy ready-made powder, or make your own from hojicha tea leaves. Hot water, about 176ºF or 80ºC Milk of your choice – Whole milk is best but I use 2% lactose-free milk in this recipe. For vegan/vegetarian, you can substitute with oat or almond milk Homemade Simple Syrup (Optional) – I usually make a batch of simple syrup for a week so I can make different beverages at home. You can also use other sweeteners. Iced cubes
The Cooking Steps
Where to Buy Hojicha Powder
I get my hojicha powder from Hojicha Co. We partnered with the company for a giveaway many years ago and I love their fresh and quality hojicha powder for easy mixing.
Can You Make Hojicha Powder?
Yes! I included the instructions in the recipe card below. You will need a small-capacity food processor or spice/coffee grinder (I used the Nutribullet). The grinder doesn’t grind the tea leaves into superfine powder; therefore, you will need to grind it further with a mortar and pestle. If you don’t grind hojicha into superfine powder, your latte will have big black specs from the tea leaves and you will taste it in your mouth.
Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe
If you make beverages with matcha or hojicha powder, I highly recommend getting these two tools.
A bamboo whisk – To minimize clumps, I highly recommend getting a bamboo whisk called chasen, which blends tea powders such as hojicha and matcha and liquid really well. It aerates the mixture to create foam and froth. Alternatively, you can get this flat whisk, which works great for whisking a small amount of dry and wet ingredients. A spouted matcha bowl (optional) – Called katakuchi, a spouted bowl is specially designed to make whisking and pouring much easier. I use this beautiful katakuchi from Only Way Is Up.
What to Serve with Iced Hojicha Latte
Miso Butter Cookies Black Sesame Cookies Easy Apple Tart Pear and Almond Tart
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