Creamy. Smooth. Not bitter. Comforting.
What else is there to say about this English tea latte?
We all know what a standard cup of tea is like. Tea bag, hot water, milk. Maybe a bit of sugar, if you want, but that's about it. Not much to it.
And while there's nothing wrong with a cup of tea like that, I like a tea with a bit more depth.
I like my tea creamy, smooth, and not bitter. Just like I said above!
I ordered an English tea latte from Starbucks once and was impressed by how good it was. But why would I want to keep paying $4 for a drink that seems so simple and gets served in a paper cup?
And the answer to that question is that I don't have to, and neither do you!
It literally takes only two ingredients to make this delightfully yummy cuppa English tea latte. Yes, TWO.
Pay attention now. It takes:
1) a tea bag
2) milk.
Did you get all of that??
It is so ridiculously easy to make. You can simply heat up the milk and pour it over the tea bag, steep, remove the tea bag and you're done!
To fancy it up a bit, I learned that using a simple whisk to froth the milk up a bit as it heats up makes the latte look a little more coffee-shop-ish with that nice foam on top! Or, if you happen to have one of those handy-dandy battery-operated milk frothers, they work great and don't require as much wrist action on your part!
I don't add any sugar to this English tea latte and find that it tastes perfect as is because the milk gives just the right amount of sweetness. If you want to add sweetener to yours, however, feel free!
I mentioned that this tea is not bitter. I think that, quite often, tea brewed in water tends to be bitter, and so we want to add sugar to try and mask it a bit. But when tea is steeped in milk, the milk mellows that bitterness and creates a richer flavor, and, not to mention, a nicer finish.
Creamy. Smooth. Not bitter. Easy. Two ingredients. Comforting. No paper cup.
I don't think there's any more to say except to go get your favorite mug and make this tea today!
~ Lisa.
Yummy Cuppa English Tea Latte
Ingredients
- Milk (see Notes below)
- Tea bag (I use PG Tips)
Instructions
- Place tea bag in your favorite cup or mug.
- Measure out enough milk for the cup you will be using. Pour into a small saucepan and heat over low heat.
- Whisk the milk occasionally, creating a froth. Do not let the milk come to a boil.
- Once you see steam coming from the milk, give it another good whisk to work up the froth.
- Pour into your cup and let the tea bag steep for in the hot milk for your desired amount of time. (I like to steep my tea bag for about 3-4 minutes.)
- Give the tea bag a gentle stir and remove.
Notes
- I use whole milk to make this tea. The whole milk makes for a creamier tea and it also froths up nicely.
- If you want to use a non-dairy milk, use a nut milk or other variety which has enough fat content to froth up a foam.
- Rice milk does not work well for creating a foam because there is little or no fat. That being said, if you do not care about the foam, go ahead and use rice milk! It will not taste as creamy or rich as using a milk with more fat.
- Try making this tea latte with other teas such as chai, green tea, peppermint, etc.!
Nutrition
This post was originally published on May 21st, 2017, but was republished in December 2018 with new photos, instructional photos, and updated recipe notes.
Emme
Hi, thank you for sharing this recipe! Can this be done all at once in the microwave?
Hey Emme! I guess you could heat the milk and tea in the microwave, but then you wouldn't get the foam/froth from having whisked the milk. I'm not sure exactly how it would turn out, but if you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Jason Hood
Wow Lisa, what an amazing and easiest recipe. Actually, I am not into cooking but I love coffee that why I find interest in making different coffee recipes only. I liked your recipe and will try it soon. Thanks 🙂
Aryane @ Valises & Gourmandises
There's something so comforting about tea! And making it, standing in front of the pot, makes me zen.
I've been using oat milk a lot for my morning coffee and afternoon lattes! It's very thick and creamy and foams very well 🙂
That's great to know that oat milk works well, too! Thanks for the tip, Aryane!
Elaine
Thanks for reminding us all to go "green" and avoid the paper and plastic waste from to-go cups! And now I'm off to make a cuppa steeped, frothy tea!
Yes! We can avoid the waste and save some money just by making this at home...and stay in our pajamas, too!
Denise from Urb’n’Spice
There is nothing like a good cuppa, Lisa. Thanks for reminding me how the simplest of ingredients can become such an elegant treat.
Thanks, Denise. Hope you get to enjoy a cuppa soon!
Colleen
Yum! I can't wait to try this tea using some cashew or almond milk. It's a perfect winter afternoon treat. Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Hope you like it, Colleen!
Cathy
Sometimes the simplest things are the best! Steeping the tea in milk gives you full undiluted richness, doesn't it! What a nice, enjoyable warm drink!
Thanks, Cathy! It's one of my favorites!