2021 Let’s Get Blitzen: Cocktail Advent Calendar – Day 24 – Tia Maria Matcha White Chocolate Latte. In case you missed the Dalgona latte trend from earlier this year, you can make up for lost time with this stunning Tia Maria Matcha white chocolate latte. Topped with a show-stopping matcha meringue.
This post is sponsored by Tia Maria.
If you don’t have TikTok or Instagram, it’s entirely possible that the “Dalgona latte” trend may have passed you by entirely. Dalgona coffee took the internet by storm in one our earlier lockdowns, at some point after the sourdough craze subsided but before people started making their one candles. It was first discovered in Macau when the famous Korean actor Jung Il-woo tasted a whipped coffee at a small restaurant. He described the coffee’s taste as similar to Dalgona which is a kind of Korean honeycomb toffee. Thus, the said coffee was then named Dalgona coffee.
As the name of this cocktail might suggest, the Tia Maria Matcha White Chocolate Latte is not going to taste like honeycomb toffee – but I’m using “Dalgona” as shorthand to describe the whipped topping, which in this case, is matcha.
Tia Maria Matcha is an indulgent creamy liqueur with the distinctive flavours and natural caffeine of Japanese green Matcha tea extract, providing a floral and refreshing twist with a smooth finish. Providing a subtle green pour, this new product has an ABV of 17%, providing contemporary consumers with a new mindful ritual and the perfect drink of choice for any occasion.
I’m particularly excited about this new liqueur because I feel like coffee drinkers have an assortment of liqueurs to mix into their Espresso Martinis (or my Almond Biscotti Martini) and can easily find a dram to pour into their Christmas morning cuppa but tea drinkers seem to be left out in the cold. Not anymore.
To make Tia Maria Matcha, the brand uses natural matcha tea extract providing natural caffeine and a floral and refreshing twist. When growing matcha, tea growers cover their fields with large dark nets for two to four weeks before harvesting the tea leaves. As a result of this light deprivation (up to 90%), the plants produce more chlorophyll and amino acids, thus giving the final product its special and delicious sweetness. The matcha leaves are then ground in artisanal granite stone mills in order to fully preserve the colour, flavour and aroma of the matcha product.
Much like crafting a beautiful cocktail, preparing a cup of matcha is a highly ritualized process. The process is actually a ceremony that requires a number of specialized tools like a tea caddy and bamboo whisk. You can the full rundown on the traditional preparation here.
This Tia Maria Matcha White Chocolate requires a small bit of patience and attention to detail as well. You’ll want to simmer the coconut milk with white chocolate until the chocolate is melted but and the milk is steaming – but don’t let it simmer too long or the volume will be significantly reduced.
Use a milk frother, hand or stand mixer to whip the egg white and sugar to stiff peaks. Then sift in one teaspoon of matcha powder and stir to fully combine. Pour your steaming white chocolate coconut milk over 2 ounces of Tia Maria Matcha in a heatproof mug and then spoon the velvety matcha meringue over top. Enjoy it while its hot!
Join me on my Instagram Stories tonight at 5 pm Eastern for a step-by-step walkthrough on this lovely little ritual.
Tia Maria Matcha White Chocolate Latte
- 6 oz coconut milk
- 1 oz white chocolate chopped
- 2 oz Tia Maria Matcha
- 1 egg white
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp matcha powder
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Add coconut milk to a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until nearly boiling.
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Reduce heat to low and add the chopped white chocolate, stirring until fully incorporated.
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Add 2 oz of Tia Maria Matcha to a heatproof mug, top with the prepared steamed milk. Stir.
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Whip the egg white and sugar with a hand mixer or milk frother until stiff peaks form. Sift in matcha powder and stir to fully combine.
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Spoon whipped matcha mixture on top of the drink and serve hot.
Freaking fantastic!
The white chocolate was definitively a great idea, It pairs very well with the tia maria matcha, but the coconut milk overpowers all other flavors (maybe I didn’t buy the right kind, I usually drink coconut water, was my first time using coconut milk).
I’d try it with macadamia milk next time, it seems like it’d go well with the chocolate. If not then just regular milk maybe.