Bian Matcha - Recipes
Iced Matcha Latte Recipe: Perfect in 5 Minutes
The one from the café costs $7 and is usually too sweet. Yours, made at home, takes 5 minutes, costs a fraction of the price and tastes exactly how you want it. Here is the base iced matcha latte recipe, the one we make ourselves all summer, with Barista No.1, which stands up beautifully to cold milk.
Four ingredients, the right ratios, and the two or three details that separate a creamy latte from a bitter, lumpy glass.
Recipe card
Ingredients
- 1 tsp (2 g)Bian Matcha Barista No.1
- 20 or 60 mlHot water at 75-80°C (see steps, never boiling)
- 200-250 mlCold barista oat milk (or whichever milk you love)
- 1-2 tspMaple syrup (optional)
- To tasteIce cubes
Why Barista No.1? Cold milk softens and dilutes: you need a matcha with body, otherwise your latte tastes like pale green milk. Barista No.1 is selected exactly for that. The versatile Ceremonial No.3 also works beautifully if you alternate between drinking matcha straight and as a latte.
Recommended accessories
No complicated equipment needed. Here is what we recommend at Bian Matcha:
🥤Instructions
- 1Prepare your matcha shotMini shaker: pour 20 ml of 75-80°C water over the Barista No.1, close and shake vigorously for 15 to 20 seconds. Matcha bowl: sift the powder first, pour 60 to 70 ml of 75-80°C water and whisk with the chasen in quick W motions until you get a fine, lump-free foam.
- 2Fill a tall glass with iceAll the way up. The more ice, the better the layers hold and the longer your latte stays cold.
- 3Add maple syrup (optional)1 to 2 teaspoons poured directly over the ice. Maple rounds out the matcha's umami without masking it, our favourite version by far.
- 4Pour the cold milkLet it run along the side of the glass, three-quarters up, so it does not crush the ice.
- 5Pour the matcha shot on topSlowly, along the side: that is how you get the beautiful green-on-white gradient.
- 6Stir and enjoyTaste, adjust the syrup if needed, and drink immediately. The layers are fleeting, take the photo before stirring.
The Bian Matcha tip: the water must never boil. Above 80°C, the sweet amino acids degrade and astringency takes over: the result tastes "like grass", and the matcha itself is not to blame. No thermometer? Let boiled water sit for 2 to 3 minutes before pouring.
Variations and customization
Once you have mastered the base, adapt the recipe to your taste:
🍁 Maple, the local one
The base recipe above, with maple syrup poured into the milk. Simple, local, balanced: the one we make most often.
🌼 Soft vanilla
A few drops of pure vanilla extract in the milk. The vanilla-matcha combo tastes like a specialty café latte, without the bill.
☕ Double shot
3 to 4 g of matcha instead of 2 g, same amount of water. Bolder, more caffeinated (80 to 130 mg): perfect to replace a large morning coffee.
🌀 Blended version
All the ingredients in a blender with a good handful of ice. Guaranteed silky texture, almost like a homemade Frappuccino.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my matcha latte bitter?
Two causes in 95% of cases: water that is too hot (above 80°C, catechins turn astringent) or a low-quality culinary matcha. With a ceremonial grade like Barista No.1 and 75-80°C water, the bitterness disappears.
Can you make matcha directly with cold water?
Yes, especially for the iced version: matcha and cold water in the mini shaker, 30 seconds. The foam is slightly less fine than hot-water whisking, but the taste is smooth with zero risk of bitterness.
Which matcha should I use for an iced latte?
A ceremonial grade with body, one that does not vanish into cold milk. Barista No.1 is selected exactly for that; the Ceremonial No.3 Grand Cru also works beautifully if you want a single matcha for drinking straight and as a latte.
Can I make it ahead of time?
The matcha shot keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours in a closed container: shake it before using, the colour may darken slightly, that is normal. For the best taste, assemble with milk and ice right before serving.
Which milk foams best?
Barista oat milk is the creaminess champion: stable foam, neutral lightly-sweet taste. Dairy (2% or 3.25%) is the rich classic that always works. Almond is lighter and foams less; soy foams well but its taste divides people.
