Description
This Homemade Chai Concentrate recipe is a rich, aromatic blend of Assam black tea and a robust mix of warming spices, simmered to perfection and sweetened to taste. Ideal for creating hot or iced chai lattes at home, this concentrate offers authentic flavor with customizable sweetness and milk options.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices
- 3–4 tablespoons Assam black tea
- 2–3 cinnamon sticks
- 2–3 star anise
- 12 whole cloves
- 8 green cardamom pods
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Other Ingredients
- 5 cups filtered water
- 1/3 cup chopped ginger root
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Crush Spices: Use a mortar and pestle to coarsely crush the whole spices. A coarse grind is sufficient to release their flavors.
- Toast Spices: In a saucepan over low heat, dry toast the crushed spices for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Add Water and Ginger: Add 5 cups of filtered water, chopped ginger root, and ground nutmeg to the saucepan with the toasted spices.
- Simmer Mixture: Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
- Bring to Boil and Remove: After simmering, bring the mixture back to a boil, then remove the saucepan from heat.
- Add Tea: Stir in the loose Assam black tea into the hot liquid.
- Steep Tea: Let the tea steep for 3-5 minutes, being careful not to over-steep to avoid bitterness.
- Strain Concentrate: Immediately strain the tea through a fine strainer into a large glass bowl or pitcher to remove solids and spices.
- Add Sweeteners: While the concentrate is still warm, stir in granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and optional honey and maple syrup according to your preferred sweetness.
- Stir in Vanilla: Add the vanilla extract and mix well into the warm chai concentrate.
- Cool Concentrate: Let the chai concentrate cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate it but note it may become slightly cloudy.
- Store: Transfer the cooled chai concentrate into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.
- Make Chai Latte: To serve, mix equal parts chai concentrate and your choice of milk. For iced chai, pour concentrate over ice and add milk.
- Prepare Hot Latte: Warm the chai concentrate and combine it with steamed milk, optionally topping with milk foam for a creamy latte experience.
Notes
- Use a coarse grind for spices to maximize flavor without clouding the concentrate.
- Watch the toasting spices closely to prevent burning and bitterness.
- Do not over-steep the tea to avoid a bitter taste.
- Sweeteners can be adjusted based on personal preference or omitted for unsweetened chai.
- Various milk types can be used including dairy (2%, skim, whole), half and half, or plant-based milks like almond or oat milk.
- Store chai concentrate in a sealed glass container in the fridge for up to one week.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: chai concentrate, homemade chai, chai latte, spiced tea concentrate, Indian tea, chai recipe, black tea concentrate, warming spices
