Homemade Iced Chai Foam (Print)

A chilled spiced chai complemented by a luscious cold foam for a smooth, flavorful finish.

# Components:

→ Chai Concentrate

01 - 2 cups water
02 - 2 black tea bags
03 - 1 cinnamon stick
04 - 4 whole cloves
05 - 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
06 - 4 black peppercorns
07 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
08 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, adjusted to taste

→ Cold Foam

09 - 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
10 - 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ To Serve

12 - Ice cubes
13 - Additional ground cinnamon, for dusting (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add tea bags, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods, peppercorns, and sliced ginger. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
02 - Remove from heat, discard tea bags, and let spices steep for 5 minutes. Strain mixture into a pitcher. Stir in honey or maple syrup while warm, then cool to room temperature before refrigerating until chilled.
03 - Whip cold heavy cream, sugar (or honey), and vanilla extract in a bowl or with a milk frother until thick and foamy but not stiff.
04 - Fill two tall glasses with ice. Pour chilled chai concentrate over ice to fill each glass about two-thirds full.
05 - Spoon cold foam generously over the chai. Optionally, dust with ground cinnamon before serving immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a café drink but costs a fraction of what you'd pay, and somehow feels more personal when you make it yourself.
  • The cold foam is ridiculously easy to whip up and transforms the whole experience into something that feels indulgent without being complicated.
02 -
  • If your foam collapses within seconds, your cream wasn't cold enough or you didn't whip it long enough—this is the one thing that frustrated me until I understood it.
  • The concentrate tastes stronger when cold, so don't oversweeten it at the beginning; you can always add more honey when you pour.
03 -
  • Make your concentrate stronger than you think you'll need, because ice melts and dilutes it—you want the chai flavor to stand up to that.
  • If you don't have a milk frother, a whisk and some elbow grease work just as well; the real secret is cold cream and patience.
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