Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (8 oz) water
- 2 Earl Grey tea bags (or 1 tablespoon loose-leaf Earl Grey tea)
- 1 cup (8 oz) milk (whole, 2%, or milk of choice)
- 1-2 tablespoons sweetener (honey, sugar, maple syrup, or vanilla syrup)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of culinary lavender (optional, about 3-5 buds)
- Ground cinnamon or cocoa powder for dusting (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Heat Water to Proper Temperature: Bring 1 cup of water to just below boiling (195-205°F is ideal for black tea). If you don’t have a thermometer, bring water to a full boil, then let it rest for 30 seconds before using. Water that’s too hot can make black tea taste bitter and astringent.
- Steep the Tea: Place your Earl Grey tea bags (or loose-leaf tea in an infuser) in a mug or small teapot. If using optional lavender, add it now. Pour the hot water over the tea and steep for 4-5 minutes. Earl Grey needs a full steep to develop its characteristic bergamot flavor—don’t rush this step! The longer steep time (compared to 3 minutes for regular black tea) extracts maximum bergamot oils.
- Remove Tea and Add Sweetener: After steeping, remove the tea bags or strain out loose tea and lavender. Immediately add your chosen sweetener (1-2 tablespoons, depending on your preference) and vanilla extract. Stir until sweetener dissolves completely. The tea base should be quite sweet since the milk will dilute it.
- Heat the Milk: While tea steeps, pour milk into a small saucepan over medium heat. Warm gently, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 150-155°F (or until small bubbles form around the edges—it should be hot but not boiling). If using an electric milk frother with heating capability, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Overheating milk (above 160°F) can scald it and create an unpleasant cooked flavor.
- Froth the Milk: Once milk is heated, froth it using your chosen method:
- Handheld Frother: Submerge the whisk head just below the milk surface and turn on. Move slowly up and down for 30-45 seconds until milk is foamy and has doubled in volume.
- French Press: Pour hot milk into French press and pump the plunger vigorously up and down for 20-30 seconds.
- Manual Pump Frother: Pour hot milk into the frother container and pump the plunger rapidly for 20-30 seconds.
- Jar Method: Pour hot milk into a mason jar (fill only halfway), seal tightly, and shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds.
- Combine Tea and Milk: Pour the steeped, sweetened Earl Grey tea into your serving mug (if you steeped elsewhere). Hold back the foam with a spoon as you pour the steamed milk into the tea, filling the mug about 3/4 full. This creates a beautiful base layer.
- Top with Foam: Spoon the remaining milk foam on top of your latte, creating a generous, cloud-like layer. The foam should sit proudly above the rim of the mug for that professional café appearance.
- Garnish and Serve: If desired, dust the foam lightly with ground cinnamon or cocoa powder using a fine-mesh sieve. You can also draw designs in the foam with a toothpick for artistic flair. Serve immediately while hot, alongside a small spoon for scooping the foam.
Notes
- For a stronger tea flavor, use 3 tea bags or 1.5 tablespoons of loose-leaf tea, especially if you prefer a more pronounced bergamot taste that stands up well to the milk.
- If you don’t have a frother, you can skip frothing and simply pour hot milk directly into the tea for a simpler (but less textured) version.
- Make it iced: Steep tea double-strength, let it cool, pour over ice, add cold milk and sweetener, and top with cold foam (froth cold milk directly).
- The latte separates naturally as it sits—this is normal. Stir before drinking if you prefer everything mixed.
- For a less sweet version, reduce sweetener to 1 teaspoon or omit entirely if your milk is naturally sweet (like oat milk).
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Beverage, Hot Drink
- Method: Steeping, Steaming
- Cuisine: British-Inspired, Café-Style
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 latte (12-16 oz)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 105mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 20mg