A decent chai latte is perhaps one of my favorite beverages. The combination of smooth black tea and rich espresso, topped with a frothy sweet cream, immediately offers a sense of calm and coziness.
Here in America, the combination of black tea, spices, and espresso is often referred to as a dirty chai. It’s not unusual for me to order this drink in cafes and tea shops, but I wanted to be able to make it with ease at home, without having to pull out the espresso machine. I discovered this method of making dirty chai in my beloved French press.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups purified water
- ¼ cup ground espresso blend coffee
- 2 tablespoons black tea
- ¼ teaspoon ground clove
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- ⅔ cup half and half
- Place the ingredients in the bottom of a clean french press. Bring the water to a boil.
- Pour the water into the french press, stir. Place the lid on the french press with the plunger pulled up. Steep for 7 minutes. Press the plunger down to separate the coffee and tea grounds from the finished product at the end of the 7 minutes.
- While the chai and coffee are steeping, heat the half and half (or whole milk) in a small saucepan over medium heat. When you begin to see steam, remove from heat and pour into a medium bowl.
- Froth the milk using either a hand frother or a whisk attachment on a hand mixer.
- Pour the tea/coffee into 2 large cups. Distribute the frothed half and half into each cup and spoon the foam on top.
