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Matcha, Milo and nutty Frangelico are made for each other in this surprising showstopper.
About the cocktail
The matcha train just keeps on rolling, and we couldn’t be happier. Although matcha has been made in Japan for centuries, the eye-popping green tea drink has become really popular in Australia over the past few years. You’ll see it lending its strong umami and subtle bittersweet flavours to everything from traditional matcha tea to cakes, milkshakes and – as with this Alcoholic Malt Matcha – some seriously delicious cocktails. Here, our cocktail pros are paying their respects to one of the best matcha serves going around – the ultra-Instagrammable Milo Matcha from Melbourne restaurant/conbini Suupaa. The original is a bright green matcha with oat milk, topped with a creamy Milo foam, and we’re not straying too far. The frothy matcha remains, of course, though it’s getting a rich upgrade from our favourite hazelnut liqueur, Frangelico. A little milk (dairy, oat, coconut – whatever you like) and maple syrup gives some creamy sweetness to round it all out. Besides the matcha, the other star of the show is the Milo cream topper. Its sweet, malty goodness works wonders with the complexity of matcha and, much like those unwieldy mixes of our youth, there’s never too much Milo, so feel free to go a little overboard. We reckon this is a perfect cocktail for those who prefer their mixed drinks on the sweet and creamy side. Whip up a few for you and some friends, pair it with a pastry and host a little indulgent afternoon tea.
Ingredients: matcha foam
1 tsp matcha powder, sifted ¼ cup 80°C water
Ingredients: Milo cream
2 tsp Milo 1 tsp caster sugar ½ cup thickened cream
Ingredients: cocktail
30mL Frangelico 10mL maple syrup 60mL matcha foam 60mL milk of your choice (we used full cream) Glass: highball Garnish: Milo cream and extra Milo on top
Method
For the matcha, bloom the matcha whisk, or chasen, by first soaking it in boiling water. This helps to soften it and get the best foam Add matcha powder to a small, shallow bowl (see tips below) Slowly add water and whisk it in an 'M' shape until it creates a foam For the Milo cream, add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and stir until the solids are dissolved Transfer the mix to small jar, secure the lid and give it a quick shake – this is to give it a creamy texture, not to whip it – and set it aside To make the cocktail, add the Frangelico, maple syrup, matcha and milk to a mixing glass and stir to combine, then pour into the glass over cubed ice Layer a finger of Milo foam on top of the ice and finish with a sprinkle of extra Milo
Dan’s top tips
Matcha is a green tea powder, but there’s some ritual around making it into a drink that separates it from the teabag in your mid-arvo cuppa. If you’ve never made it before, there’s not all that much to it and considering how much else is going on in this cocktail, this is a forgiving way to start. Traditionally, matcha is frothed using a multi-pronged whisk called a ‘chasen’, which is pre-heated with boiling water. If you haven’t got a chasen, a regular metal whisk or a milk frother should do the trick. To make the matcha, grab your whisk of choice and measure out matcha powder into a small, shallow bowl. Add your water and whisk in an ‘M’ or zig-zag pattern until the matcha comes to a gentle froth. The other thing to keep in mind is that, like with regular green tea, matcha is best made with water at 80°C. If you’ve got an instant-read thermometer in the kitchen, definitely grab it, otherwise just add a splash of cold water to boiling water to drop the temperature before adding to the matcha powder (but it’s okay if you’re not super precise, too).
Where did the inspiration come from this cocktail?
Our Alcoholic Malt Matcha cocktail is inspired by the Milo Matcha from Melbourne restaurant Suupaa.
What is matcha?
Matcha is a green tea powder, usually served as a drink but commonly used to flavour desserts, pastries and more.
- Can you make this cocktail non-dairy?
Yes! Feel free to substitute milk and cream in this recipe for any of your favourite non-dairy alternatives.
image credits: Kayla May (photography), Bridget Wald (stylist).
