Tag: Matcha

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DavidsTea’s Vanilla Chai Matcha

Vanilla Chai Matcha by DavidsTea
Matcha (Green Tea) / Flavoured
$10.98 for 50g

First Impressions

As someone who was a fan of DavidsTea’s Chai Matcha, I was curious about the Vanilla Chai Matcha when I saw it online – so naturally a bag fell into my online shopping cart. Vanilla Chai Matcha comes in the familiar silver pouch with the coloured label across the front. As a ‘matcha drink mix’, Vanilla Chai Matcha is a flavour profile that makes me want to try it… let’s ignore what the first ingredient in the list is.

Vanilla Chai Matcha consists of: cane sugar, matcha green tea, natural flavourings (creamy vanilla and chai spice). The powder itself is a spring green, with a slight glint of sparkle from the cane sugar. While I don’t smell the matcha, I smell the vanilla and spice flavouring – it is really quite fragrant.

Preparation

DavidsTea recommends preparing Vanilla Chai Matcha with 85°C (185°F) water. I opted to prepare it with a battery powdered milk frother. Because it is a drink mix, I find this type of blend tends to suspend itself easily with a quick stir with a spoon.

First Taste

Vanilla Chai Matcha becomes a medium green. The aroma from the drink is more vanilla and chai spices than the matcha itself. The flavour itself is sweet, and I found that I could taste the vanilla and the chai spices, but the matcha itself is very mildly vegetal. The spices themselves have that warming quality that I like in a chai blend, with a nice creamy undertone from the vanilla flavouring. I do find myself hunting for more of the vegetal notes from the matcha base, but I don’t find it.

A Second Cup?

As a suspension, Vanilla Chai Matcha is a one-time drink only – like all other matchas out there. So just the one cup (and that’s okay!).

My Overall Impression

I liked DavidsTea’s Vanilla Chai Matcha. While I greatly enjoyed the vanilla and chai flavouring, I found that it was quite sweet – if I had been aware of how sweet it was, I might have prepared it as a matcha latte instead to help cut down the sweetness. With water, it does end up quite sweet without anything to mute the sweetness. It does have some great flavours though, I do love the warming spices (much like their Chai Matcha).

Curious about the cup rating system? Click here to learn more.

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DavidsTea’s Eggnog Matcha

Eggnog Matcha by DavidsTea
Green Tea (Matcha) / Flavoured
$10.98 for 50g

First Impressions

Eggnog Matcha was an addition to my online shopping cart… on a whim. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it came in a specially designed package with a mix of bright and dark greens. The pouch itself is sealed and resealable, and I got it mostly because hey, who doesn’t like having something with eggnog around the holidays?

Eggnog Matcha is a light spring green colour, with a bit of a sparkle to it (I believe from the cane sugar granules). It has a very milky aroma with hints of cinnamon throughout, which makes it intriguing. Eggnog Matcha consists of: cane sugar, matcha green tea, dry whole milk powder and natural flavourings (for eggnog and cinnamon roll). Who knew that there was flavouring for egg and cinnamon roll? Certainly not me. It smells great though!

Preparation

DavidsTea recommends preparing Eggnog Matcha with 85°C (185°F) water and a whisk, and suggests having it hot or iced. I opted to follow the preparation instructions, but I used a handheld milk frother to speed things up a bit.

First Taste

Eggnog Matcha blends up to a light spring green. The aroma is a mix of cinnamon and a grassy matcha. I don’t actually really smell any of the eggnog (flavouring). It does have a nice creaminess to it, and find that the flavour is nice. Eggnog Matcha tastes more of cinnamon and matcha than anything else to me. The fact that Eggnog Matcha contains whole milk powder adds a level of milkiness to it that doesn’t rely on you adding milk to it to make it into a latte, it’s almost like a matcha latte mix. The flavour of the matcha base is not strong enough to really shine on it’s own though, unfortunately, because the cinnamon is overpowering in comparison.

A Second Cup?

As Eggnog Matcha is a suspension, there are no second steeps with the same powder.

My Overall Impression

I thought that DavidsTea’s Eggnog Matcha was just okay. I had a lot of high hopes and expectations for Eggnog Matcha in regards to expecting more of the flavour of the eggnog to shine through. The cinnamon flavour does come through, and there’s a light grassy flavour from the matcha. I do like the addition of the whole milk powder, I think if you’re wanting a cinnamon bun matcha on-the-go, Eggnog Matcha would really fit the bill. If you wanted more of an eggnog flavour, I would suggest preparing Eggnog Matcha with heated eggnog instead of water.

Curious about the cup rating system? Click here to learn more.

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Lavender Matcha Latte

I love the combination of lavender and matcha – a combination I’ve used before (here and here). With the colder, rainy weather, I enjoy a hot cup of tea at home. The grey weather requires something uplifting and warming at home, and I find that comfort in a large mug filled with a Lavender Matcha Latte. There’s always something luxurious about having a nice tea latte at home, and there’s always something fancy feeling about some dried lavender sprinkled across the top of a drink.

Lavender Matcha Latte – Serves 1

2 teaspoons matcha¹
⅔ cup (~165mL) of milk²
1⅓ cup (~330mL) of water
1 tablespoon Lavender Simple Syrup (see recipe below)

¹ I used Whisk Premium Matcha’s Everyday matcha.
² Use the milk of your choice – I used dairy milk in these photos, but you could easily use a plant-based alternative.

In a bowl or cup, sift matcha and add water (~175°F/79°C), then mix (I used a battery powdered milk frother).
Stir in the Lavender Simple Syrup (adjust amount to your liking).
In a separate cup, add milk.
Froth milk (use a milk frother or mason jar); heat to set the froth.
Add frothed milk to the matcha.
Garnish with dried lavender buds.

If not following the volumes exactly, you’ll want to have one-third frothed milk to two-thirds prepared matcha.

This Lavender Simple Syrup is the same one used in my other recipes – you can use it for a London Fog, Iced Lavender Matcha Latte, London Fog Bubble Tea, and Lavender Matcha Lemonade.

Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe & Directions

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons lavender buds

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat.
Allow mixture to come to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Turn off heat and allow the simple syrup to cool.
Pour simple syrup into a jar or container, use a sieve to strain out lavender buds.

Store Lavender Simple Syrup in your fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Lavender and matcha remains one of my favourite flavour combinations, especially with a frothy layer of milk to just add an extra layer of decadence. Just what any matcha lover needs to brighten up their day.

If you make this Lavender Matcha Latte, I’d love to see your photos! Be sure to tag me on Instagram (@onemoresteep #onemoresteep) or comment below with a link to the photo!