I have a horrible habit of buying chai lattes every morning. Which hurts my wallet and my ability to be on time to work...So I've bought a million different concentrates to try and make my own lattes at home in the morning. But like 9 out of 10 didn't taste very good...and the one that does has quite a bit of sugar. Which is delicious, but not great for me.
So, I've decided to make my own concentrate in order to save some bucks, but also to monitor the actual ingredients (definitely including that sugar).
Now there are big variations you can make here. One of the biggest ones to me is the black tea you choose to use. I've made this chai concentrate recipe so many times and if I choose a cheapo black tea that I don't like, it ruins the whole batch. However, my best luck has actually come from using chai black or green tea bags. It just amps up the flavor. Another big variable to the taste is the sugar you use. Use something you are used to and start off small. My favorite concentrate to purchase is Firepot Chai Concentrate.
This recipe is based off of what I've learned from concentrates I buy and from an episode of a foodie show I watched a LONG time again. I don't remember the name of the show, but I in no way am an authority on this recipe and this isn't 100% authentic. Just my tips and tricks for getting something similar.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 5 cups boiling water
- 12 bags of black tea (your preference of favorite tea, can also be green)
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 vanilla bean, sliced down the middle
- 10 cardamom pods
- 3 inches of fresh ginger, chopped into ½ inch pieces and smashed
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (about 25)
- ¼ cup brown sugar or honey
How to make Chai Concentrate
- In a cheesecloth add all ingredients from the vanilla bean to the black peppercorns. Tie together.
- Add cheesecloth, black tea, and cinnamon sticks into the boiling water. Let sit for 20-25 minutes.
- Stir in sugar or honey until dissolved.
- Pour concentrate into jars and refrigerate. When you're ready to drink pour 1 part concentrate and 1 part milk (or milk alternative) into a small pot. Heat until simmering.
- Pour into a mug, drink, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: This recipe is traditional to a cultural that I am not a member of, but respect. This is in no way 100% authentic, but instead an interpretation from a recipe I respect and want to pay homage to. If I have used another recipe to influence that, I will list it. Most of the time, I use basics of the recipe from a person, multiple websites, or sometimes from a store-bought product. I’ll try to list very specifically where inspiration or base recipes came from. Also, if I am messing something up, please send me an email to call me up to the issue so we can have a conversation about this. I appreciate having an open and honest community here. Thank you for your support
Other Drinks to Try
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Equipment
- Cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 5 cups water boiling
- 12 bags black tea your preference of favorite tea, can also be green
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 vanilla bean sliced down the middle
- 10 cardamom pods
- 3 inches fresh ginger chopped into ½ inch pieces and smashed
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns about 25
- ¼ cup brown sugar or honey
Instructions
- In a cheesecloth add all ingredients from the vanilla bean to the black peppercorns. Tie together.
- Add cheesecloth, black tea, and cinnamon sticks into the boiling water. Let sit for 20-25 minutes.
- Stir in sugar or honey until dissolved.
- Pour concentrate into jars and refrigerate. When you're ready to drink pour 1 part concentrate and 1 part milk (or milk alternative) into a small pot. Heat until simmering.
- Pour into a mug, drink, and enjoy!
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