Iced Dalgona Matcha Latte Recipe

Dalgona coffee has taken the internet by storm, as people turn to their electric mixers and manually whisking the mixture by hand to create whipped coffee during the pandemic. I don’t own any instant coffee, so I decided to “whip up” my own variation of Dalgona coffee by putting together one of my favorite iced drinks – Iced Matcha Latte! After just one sip, I understood the reason behind its recent craze!

What is Matcha?

Matcha is green tea leaves (from the Camellia sinensis plant) finely grounded into powder form. Unlike green tea, however, leaves used to make matcha are grown under shaded conditions for the majority of the growth period. The use of less sunlight helps increase chlorophyll and amino acid content. For this reason, matcha contains more caffeine and antioxidants than green tea. Its flavor profile has also made it an extremely popular ingredient in many recipes, including matcha latte, matcha souffle pancakes, matcha ice cream, matcha mochi, matcha cakes and matcha donuts! Speaking of which, try my 3 ingredients matcha no churn ice cream recipe here!

Matcha Health Benefits

What makes matcha even more appealing is it provides many health benefits, most of which I am in dire need of as an exhausted, busy mother with extra fine lines, wrinkles and gray hair!

• Matcha contains catechins (antioxidants!!), which help clear your body from harmful free radicals and cell damage. Some catechins have also been linked to cancer prevention.
• Matcha helps promote a healthy liver
• Matcha contains L-theanine, which enhances alertness and may help with anxiety, stress and sleep.

Keep in mind that matcha does have a higher caffeine content than green tea and intaking too much matcha may have its side effects!

Matcha Grades

Matcha comes in multiple grades, each with different tastes, uses and shade of green!

• Ceremonial grade is the highest grade of matcha available. It has a smoother texture and vibrant green hue, signifying its superior quality. This grade is used for tea ceremonies (for the serious tea drinkers!) and is traditionally served on its own, without any added ingredients. However, this is my favorite grade of matcha and it is what I typically use in my recipes!
• Compared to ceremonial grade matcha, latte grade matcha is characterized by a less vibrant green and a slightly more bitter taste. It is the second highest quality and is commonly used in lattes (hence the name) with milk/cream and sugar.
• Culinary grade matcha is the lowest grade available and typically combined with other ingredients when used in cooking and baking. It is the best option when you want to add just a touch of matcha flavor into a recipe!

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