5 Tea Latte Recipes To Clear The Fog, From London And Beyond

Tea latte recipes from a coffee company? You betcha!

Last year we added a variety of teas to our clean, healthy coffee line up, and needless to say, we’re in love!

These teas are just as pure, clean, and tasty as our coffees, so we thought we’d provide you with a few ways to incorporate them into your caffeine-routine.

Some of the most popular tea recipes, like coffee, involve the addition of milk, transforming this bold, rich beverage into a creamy delight, also known as a latte.

And, when it comes to tea lattes, the London Fog is a tried-and-true classic.

Today, we’ll explore the makings of this tea latte favorite, then we’ll provide you with not only a traditional London Fog latte recipe, but a few others to tantalize your tea-loving taste buds as well.

So, let’s peer through the (London) fog and get brewing…

When It’s Foggy In London…

If you’re a tea connoisseur, like myself, then you’re likely well acquainted with the London Fog, a tea latte made with earl grey tea.

Earl grey is one of the most popular teas internationally, and it’s typically made with Assam and/or Darjeeling black teas and bergamot oil.

Assam is a fairly common, robustly flavored black tea grown in India. And this variety of tea is often used in breakfast blends such as English or Irish breakfast teas.

Darjeeling is an Indian black tea as well, but this variety is made from a different type of plant and often has a golden color, fruity aroma, and slightly sweet flavor.

The bergamot oil component of earl grey tea is derived from the bergamot fruit, often described as a “natural hybrid of a sour orange and a lemon.” This oil is added to earl grey tea to give the blend a unique, citrus-forward flavor with floral notes and an added touch of sweetness.

Now back to the fog…

The London Fog tea latte sounds as if it likely originated ‘across the pond,’ in London, England; however, this classic cafe offering was actually created in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The London Fog tea latte gets its name from the steamed milk component, which some say resembles a foggy London morning when mixed with the tea.

Originally the London Fog contained earl grey tea, steamed milk, and vanilla syrup or flavoring, but as the drink has gained popularity, you can now routinely find variations which include lavender and/or honey as well.

But, while this information may be interesting or tantalizing for tea lovers, we’re actually just now getting to the good part!

As many of you know, we now carry a line of teas at Lifeboost - teas that are equally as clean and pure as our coffee which you’ve come to know and love.

And, we believe our commitment to quality and health makes our black tea, Empire State Sunrise, as we call it, a little different from typical teas, specifically earl grey.

Most earl grey offerings are blends, and blends are commonly used to hide imperfections and lesser quality teas.

And, for this reason, we only use single origin teas (just like our coffee).

Like earl grey tea, our Empire State Sunrise black tea does contain a hint of organic bergamot oil, but unlike a typical earl grey tea, Empire State Sunrise is made with organic, single origin black tea leaves from Sri Lanka.

This variety of tea is sometimes called ceylon tea, and it’s known for its rich, complex flavors that perfectly pair with the citrusy, floral notes of bergamot oil.

So, while at first glance this tea may seem to be a classic earl grey offering, I can personally attest that it certainly is not. I would even say it’s in a category of its own!

I’ve been drinking black tea for some time. And, until recently, on any given day, in any given season, you could open my largest kitchen cabinet to find a variety of organic loose leaf tea options, from English, Irish, and Scottish breakfast blends, to Assam, Ceylon, and various green tea varieties, as well as flavored options including cinnamon, apple, orange, clove, ginger, molasses, and on and on.

However, since last year when Dr. Charles introduced me to our Empire State Sunrise black tea, this is now the only black tea I drink.

While earl grey is highly popular, I’ve never been a fan of this tea. So, when I saw that bergamot oil was included in our black tea, I was highly skeptical.

Then, I brewed a cup.

After a single sip, prepared black, I was stunned!

Then, after my usual preparation, adding a touch of sweetness from monk fruit and a bit of frothed milk, I texted Dr. Charles the following: (please, forgive my lack of sophistication).

“Dude!!! This is by far the cleanest, most pure, non-astringent tea I’ve ever tasted! The bergamot oil is faint, but it brings a highly pleasant touch of both citrus and floral aromas and flavors, and I swear I’m detecting a little fruitiness with the addition of milk…this is absolutely incredible!”

Again, I realize that isn’t the most sophisticated or elegant description, but each and every sip of this tea absolutely amazes me!

And honestly, I…all of us here at Lifeboost…think you’ll be amazed too, which is why we’re sharing 5 fabulous ways to enjoy this treasure of a tea.

5 Tea Latte Recipes To Clear The Fog, From London And Beyond

Note…

For each of these recipes, since we’re incorporating milk and other flavorings or sweeteners, we’ll be starting with a slightly stronger tea (generally using 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of loose-leaf tea per cup).

Feel free to adjust the strength of the tea to your liking. For instance, many prefer using 1-2 teaspoons of loose-leaf tea per cup.

But personally, I’ve always found the addition of milk and flavorings to weaken tea. So, making a slightly stronger cup allows you to experience the fabulous flavors of the tea as well as the creamy addition of milk and other ingredients.

1- OG London Fog Tea Latte

The OG, the original, the traditional, the classic…the London Fog.

As we stated above, the London Fog is one of the most popular black tea lattes in cafes all across North America, second only to chai tea, which we’ll get to in a moment.

And, while earl grey is the typical tea component in this cup, we’re of course swapping that for our Empire State Sunrise Black Tea.

I know I described this as having a much fainter presence of bergamot oil than typical earl grey tea, but I think you’ll be more than pleased with its pure, clean, smooth, yet bold flavors.

We’ll be staying true to London Fog roots here, using a vanilla syrup to flavor the latte, but feel free to switch things up from time to time to incorporate other London Fog tastes such as lavender or honey. (Simply swap equal parts lavender simple syrup or honey in place of the vanilla.).

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons Lifeboost Empire State Sunrise loose leaf black tea
• 4 ounces hot water (roughly 190-200 degrees Fahrenheit)
• 4-ounce milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla syrup (see recipe below)

Instructions

• Steep tea, using your preferred method, in hot water for 5 minutes, then strain out leaves and add tea to your favorite mug.
• Stir vanilla syrup into the tea.
• Now, you can either steam the milk with a steaming wand, or you can add the milk to an electric frother and froth on the heated setting.
• Pour the steamed or frothed milk over the tea and enjoy!

Homemade Vanilla Simple Syrup

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk together water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved.

Once the liquid is clear, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Allow the mixture to cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

2- One Up On The EB

If you prefer to omit the added flavorings, you can’t go wrong with an English breakfast latte (EB), which simply includes English breakfast tea, sugar, and steamed milk.

But of course we’re going to ‘one up’ the traditional English breakfast tea latte here, using our Empire State Sunrise Black Tea.

English breakfast teas commonly contain a blend of black teas, so using our single origin Sri Lankan black tea will bring a refreshing clarity, a reduction in the typical bitterness associated with black tea, and a crisp, clean mouthfeel that, if you ask me, is simply unparalleled.

We’ll be listing sugar and milk in a generic sense for this recipe, but feel free to use the sweetener and milk of your choosing. (I personally enjoy organic grass-fed whole milk and monk fruit sweetener.)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Lifeboost Empire State Sunrise loose leaf black tea
• 6-8 ounces hot water (roughly 190-200 degrees Fahrenheit)
• 6 ounces milk
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar

Instructions

• Allow tea to steep in hot water for roughly 5 minutes. (You don’t want to go much longer than 5 minutes, otherwise this can make your tea bitter.)
• Strain tea leaves, then add tea to a large mug.
• Stir your choice of sugar into the tea, then add milk to an electric frother and froth on the heated setting.
• Pour heated, frothed milk over the tea, and enjoy!

3- LondonBerry Latte

Several years ago, I tried a fruit-infused tea latte at a small coffee shop in downtown Lexington.

The tea was a loose-leaf blend of black and green teas with bits of lemon and strawberry throughout.

When I asked for it as a latte, the barista was a little bit skeptical, noting that green teas with citrus don’t always yield a pleasant flavor when mixed with milk.

Still, I tried it - and the barista was right.

It wasn’t completely bad, but there was just something a little off about it.

However, this flavor combination still intrigued me, so I set out on a mission to infuse these flavors, minus the green tea component, and come up with a black tea and berry latte.

Later, this gem of a cafe did the same, and the results stemming from my kitchen and their counters, in my opinion, rank supremely above the ever-popular London Fog favorite. Thus, I give you - the LondonBerry Latte!

Ingredients

• 1 ½-2 tablespoons Lifeboost Empire State Sunrise loose leaf black tea
• 6 ounces hot water (190-200 degrees fahrenheit)
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped, organic freeze-dried strawberries
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar
• 4-6 ounces milk

Instructions

• Steep loose-leaf tea and chopped freeze dried strawberries in hot water for 5 minutes, then strain out the tea leaves and strawberry pieces, adding the remaining berry-infused tea to a large mug.
• Add sugar to the tea and stir to combine.
• Steam milk using a steaming wand or add to an electric frother and froth on the heated setting.
• Top the tea with the frothed or steamed milk and enjoy!

*Note: Using freeze dried strawberry pieces adds a subtle berry flavor, but if you’d like a strong or more pronounced berry taste, you can add a strawberry syrup to the latte in place of the sugar.

4- Chai Tea, Black Tea

Chai tea is typically made from a base of black tea or a black tea blend.

So we thought…why not use our black tea and make one of the world’s most popular tea lattes - chai!

Most chai tea lattes you get in cafes use a concentrated syrup to make this drink, but we were looking for something a bit more authentic here.

Therefore, you’ll be mixing some warming, fragrant chai spices to make your own chai simple syrup, combined with our black tea and milk, of course.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Lifeboost Empire State Sunrise loose leaf black tea
• 6 ounces hot water (190-200 degrees fahrenheit)
• 2-3 teaspoons chai simple syrup (see recipe below)
• 6 ounces milk
• Cinnamon, optional for topping

Instructions

• Steep tea in hot water for about 5 minutes, then strain tea into a large mug.
• Add chai simple syrup to tea and stir to combine.
• Add milk to an electric frother and froth on the heated setting.
• Top tea with heated, frothed milk, and dust with a bit of cinnamon if desired. Enjoy!

Homemade Chai Simple Syrup

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 ¾ cups filtered water
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground ginger
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Add brown sugar, water, and spices to a saucepan over medium heat, stirring vigorously to dissolve sugar and incorporate all spices.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. (Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.)

5- Gingerbread Tea Latte

If you enjoy making new tea and coffee recipes, then you know it’s absolutely worth the extra effort to make your own sauces and syrups to use in these drinks.

Sure, you can find some of these flavors at the grocery store, or online, and if this is your preference, feel free to do so.

But, if you have the time, taking an extra 10-15 minutes to gather the ingredients and make a delicious homemade syrup can really take your brew (tea or coffee) to the next level.

So, we’re pulling out our saucepans one more time today to make another tasty simple syrup for one more exceptional tea latte.

Gingerbread, for whatever reason, has been my jam these last few months, and I’m absolutely loving these flavors in black tea.

It’s slightly reminiscent of chai, but the added molasses and the omission of a few classic chai spices serves to put this tasty flavor in a category of its own.

As a bonus, the faint taste of bergamot oil naturally infused into this tea gives an appropriate and nostalgic nod to traditional gingerbread cookies, which routinely contain a bit of orange zest to balance their warm and spicy notes.

Note: I personally recommend using oat milk with this latte…it’s my favorite option to pair with the classic gingerbread spices.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Lifeboost Empire State Sunrise loose leaf black tea
• 6 ounces hot water (190-200 degrees fahrenheit)
• 2-3 teaspoons gingerbread simple syrup (see recipe below)
• 6 ounces milk

Instructions

• Steep tea for roughly 5 minutes, then strain into your favorite mug.
• Add gingerbread syrup to the tea, then stir to combine.
• Add milk to an electric frother and froth on the heated setting.
• Top the tea mixture with the heated, frothed milk and enjoy!

Homemade Gingerbread Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a small saucepan add all ingredients, minus the vanilla, and stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar, and allow the mixture to come to a boil.

Once the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Strain out the solids from the syrup, then allow the mixture to cool prior to storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast .

References:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/assam-tea#

https://ahmadteausa.com/products/copy-of-darjeeling

https://www.stashtea.com/blogs/education/bergamot-oil-from-calabria

https://www.thespruceeats.com/ceylon-tea-sri-lankan-tea-765685

https://www.growteacompany.com/blogs/news/the-history-of-london-fog-the-earl-grey-tea-latte-with-a-controversial-past?

https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/london-fog/#wprm-recipe-container-28240

https://www.forkinthekitchen.com/homemade-vanilla-syrup/

https://dragonflytea.com/blogs/our-blog/all-about-english-breakfast-tea#

https://www.dashofjazz.com/chai-syrup/#recipe

https://burrataandbubbles.com/gingerbread-simple-syrup/#recipe