A homemade hojicha latte can begin with brewing tea or dissolving an instant tea powder. Before going into the kitchen, look at the official recipes from Maruhachi Seichajo and Ito En. Their products and serving counts differ, so begin by choosing one and following its quantities and method.
Maruhachi Seichajo: brew tea for two servings
Maruhachi Seichajo’s bōcha latte uses 18 g of Kenjō Kaga Bōcha, about 9 tablespoons, or 6 Kenjō Kaga Bōcha tea bags. Also prepare 320 mL of boiling water, 80 mL of milk and 10 g of sugar. These quantities make two servings, combining brewed tea with a relatively small amount of milk.
The method has three steps. First, put the tea and boiling water in a teapot or heatproof container and wait 2 minutes 30 seconds. Next, put the sugar in cups, pour in the brewed tea and dissolve it thoroughly. Finally, add warmed milk.
Ito En: dissolve instant tea for one serving
Ito En’s hojicha latte uses 1 tablespoon of Sarasara Tokeru Oi Ocha Hojicha instant tea, 30 cc of hot water and 140 cc of milk for one serving. This recipe uses a larger proportion of milk. The hot water dissolves the specified instant product; there is no tea-infusion step.
Put the product and hot water in a cup and dissolve it thoroughly. Heat the milk in a small pan while stirring with a whisk, stopping just before it boils, then pour it into the cup.
Next time, move towards your own taste
Maruhachi Seichajo’s recipe serves two; Ito En’s serves one. They also differ in whether you infuse tea or dissolve a specified product. Use each recipe’s own quantities and method, and match serving counts when comparing them.
Measure ingredients given in tablespoons using that unit. After making a recipe as written once, you might vary the sweetness or milk quantity slightly next time. Remembering the first cup lets you compare what you changed and how the taste changed. You can gradually find the proportions you enjoy.