Mastering the chasen: how to use and care for your matcha whisk

Name: How to make a matcha latte
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: T2 100% Certified Organic Matcha; 80°C (176°F) water; 150 ml/5 fl oz milk of choice; Sweetener (optional)

Your chasen does more work than it looks like. Hand-carved from a single piece of bamboo, its tines curved inward by heat and tension to create the even foam that makes a properly whisked matcha so distinct.

Treat it well and it keeps rewarding you. Here's how.

How to make a matcha latte

Our much-loved matcha latte recipe has just four steps. It is quick and easy – the best way to drink your daily matcha.

A vibrant green ritual

Here at T2, we have a clear vision of how our ideal matcha latte looks and tastes. Visually it is a beautiful pistachio colour, not too light. Its taste should be sweet enough to be enjoyable while allowing the savoury notes of matcha to shine through.

We have two secrets to achieve this delicious balance in a latte. One is by fully oxygenating the matcha with a thorough whisk, and the second is by not adding more than 150ml milk. Here’s our step-by-step guide to achieving a well-balanced matcha latte.

3-5 minutes

Serves 1

Ingredients

T2 100% Certified Organic Matcha
80°C (176°F) water
150 ml/5 fl oz milk of choice
Sweetener (optional)

Tools

Matcha bowl
Matcha whisk
Bamboo Scoop
Matcha sieve

Method

1. Heat (and froth, if you can) 150 ml/5 fl oz milk of choice. Soy froths well, but you could also use dairy, oat, almond or macadamia depending on your taste.
2. In a matcha bowl or mug, add ½ – 1 teaspoon T2 Matcha Powder, then add 100ml of 80°C (176°F) water. Using a matcha bowl that is wide and deep allows you to whisk vigorously with ease, for the smoothest, creamy matcha. A mug can make it a bit trickier to whisk but it is a good alternative if you don’t have a matcha bowl. To make 80°C water use the temperature gauge on your kettle, or simply add a splash of cold water to your kettle after it has boiled.
3. Using the whisk, whisk in an M shape, for at least 20 seconds until it forms a smooth paste. Add your sweetener at this step, if desired. Whisk vigorously, you cannot over-whisk matcha. Whisking in a M shape means your whisk motion should be back and forth. This allows you to fully agitate the water and matcha mix, creating a smooth, frothy texture.
4. Gently pour hot milk into the matcha bowl. Alternately, pour both your matcha and frothed milk into a mug or borosilicate glass. Your matcha latte is now ready to serve and enjoy!