Homemade Iced Chai Foam (Printer View)

A chilled spiced chai with luscious cold foam, ideal for a refreshing and creamy beverage experience.

# 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 - Ground cinnamon, for dusting (optional)

# Method steps:

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 allow spices to steep for an additional 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into a pitcher, stir in honey or maple syrup while warm, then cool to room temperature before refrigerating until chilled.
03 - Whip heavy cream, sugar or honey, and vanilla extract in a small 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, filling each glass about two-thirds full.
05 - Generously spoon cold foam over the chai and optionally dust with ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You'll taste the difference between real spices simmering together versus a generic chai mix.
  • The cold foam feels like a tiny luxury, turning an afternoon drink into something café-worthy without leaving home.
  • It's flexible enough to adjust based on what you have or what your mood demands that day.
02 -
  • If you skip straining properly, you'll end up with cardamom shell fragments in your teeth, and the rest of your afternoon becomes less enjoyable.
  • Whipping the foam only takes two minutes, but whipping it past that point turns it into butter, which looks sad and tastes grainy instead of smooth.
  • The chai concentrate stays fresh in the fridge for three days, so make it in advance if you're hosting; your future self will thank you.
03 -
  • Lightly crushing the cardamom pods instead of smashing them means the shells stay mostly intact and easier to fish out during straining.
  • Keep your cream, bowl, and whisk in the fridge for twenty minutes before whipping; cold tools make foam that actually holds its shape.
  • A splash of milk added to the chai before the foam makes it taste creamier without being heavy, especially if you're drinking it on a full stomach.
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