Bian Matcha - Recipes
Vanilla Matcha Latte: Soft, Creamy and Easy
Vanilla and matcha are the duo that turns a morning latte into a small comfort ritual. Vanilla rounds out the tea's grassy side without hiding it, and the kitchen smells wonderful for a good five minutes.
For the matcha to hold its own against vanilla and milk, you need a tea with some backbone. Bian Matcha's Barista No.1 is exactly that: a round, structured profile created for milk, keeping its colour and sweetness to the last sip.
Recipe card
Ingredients
- 2 g (1 level tsp) Bian Matcha Barista No.1
- 30 ml Hot water at 75 °C (never boiling)
- 180 ml Milk of your choice (barista oat milk for the best foam)
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract (or 2 tsp vanilla syrup)
- 1 tsp Maple syrup (optional, if using extract)
Extract or syrup? Pure vanilla extract brings the aroma without sweetening: balance it with a little maple. Vanilla syrup does both at once, coffee-shop style.
Recommended tools
No complicated equipment needed for a great vanilla latte. Here is what we recommend at Bian Matcha:
🥤Step-by-step method
- 1Flavour your milkAdd the vanilla (and the maple, if using) directly to the cold milk.
- 2Prepare your matchaPour 2 g of Barista No.1 into your mini shaker with 30 ml of 75 °C water and shake for 15 to 20 seconds. In a bowl, whisk quick W strokes with the chasen.
- 3Heat and froth the milkWarm the vanilla milk to 60-65 °C, then froth it with a milk frother or a whisk. The foam is what gives that neighbourhood-café feel.
- 4Build your lattePour the matcha into your cup, then gently add the frothed vanilla milk on top.
- 5Enjoy right awayDrink it hot, while the foam is at its best and the vanilla is fragrant.
The Bian Matcha trick: boiling water burns matcha and makes it bitter. 75 °C is simply boiled water that has rested for 2 minutes. This small detail changes everything.
Variations and ideas
The vanilla base adapts to every craving:
🧊 Iced version
Shake the matcha in 50 ml of cold water, then pour over ice with the cold vanilla milk. Ready in 60 seconds.
🌿 Vanilla bean
Split half a pod and let it steep in the hot milk for 5 minutes before frothing. The aroma is finer than with extract.
🍁 Vanilla maple
Sweeten entirely with amber maple syrup: the vanilla-maple duo is the most Quebecois version of this latte.
🌱 Sugar-free
Vanilla extract alone, no syrup: all the aroma, zero added sugar. The natural sweetness of Barista No.1 does the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Which matcha should I use for a vanilla latte?
A matcha formulated for milk, like Barista No.1: it carries through vanilla and milk without losing its flavour. A delicate ceremonial grade is meant to be sipped straight, like the Ceremonial No.3 Grand Cru.
Extract, syrup or vanilla bean?
Pure extract is the best simplicity-to-aroma ratio for everyday lattes. Syrup sweetens at the same time, handy for that coffee-shop taste. A steeped vanilla bean gives the finest result for special moments.
Which milk froths best?
Barista oat milk gives the creamiest foam and pairs beautifully with vanilla. Dairy milk froths very well too; almond milk makes the lightest version.
Can I make it iced?
Yes, and it is excellent in summer: matcha shaken in cold water, ice, cold vanilla milk. The full method is in our iced matcha latte recipe.
How much caffeine is in a vanilla matcha latte?
About 35 to 50 mg for 2 g of matcha, versus 60 to 80 mg for an espresso. The tea's L-theanine smooths the effect: steady energy without jitters or crash.
How do I avoid bitterness?
Three things: water at 75 °C (never boiling), a 2 g dose, and a quality matcha. Bitterness almost always comes from water that is too hot or from a low culinary grade.
