Matcha Cold Foam with Saffron and Rose Water
Iced matcha capped with a pale gold cold foam scented with bloomed saffron and a measured pour of rose water.
Equipment
- Fine sieve
- Small whisk or handheld milk frother
- Tall glasses
Ingredients
For the saffron rose cold foam
- 10 saffron strands
- 1 ice cube for blooming the saffron
- 1/3 cup heavy cream cold
- 2 tablespoons milk cold
- 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
- 1/4 teaspoon rose water plus up to 1/4 teaspoon more after tasting
For the iced matcha
- 2 teaspoons matcha sifted
- 3 tablespoons hot water about 175°F / 80°C, not boiling
- 1 1/2 cups oat milk cold
- ice
To finish
- 4-6 saffron strands optional
- crushed pistachios optional
Instructions
Bloom the saffron and make the foam
- Crush the saffron and then add 1 ice cube. Let it sit 2 minutes. The ice should dissolve and become orange water.
- In a chilled bowl, combine the cold cream, cold milk, sugar, bloomed saffron water, and 1/4 teaspoon rose water.
- Whisk or froth until the foam pours slowly off a spoon, about 30 to 60 seconds. It should look like soft ribbons, not stiff whipped cream. Taste. Add up to 1/4 teaspoon more rose water only if it tastes flat.
- Chill the foam while you whisk the matcha.
Whisk the matcha
- Sift the matcha into a small bowl or jar. Add the hot water. Whisk 20 to 30 seconds until the surface is frothy and you see no dry specks. Boiling water makes this bitter. If you have no thermometer, boil the water, then wait 2 minutes before you pour.
- Stir in the cold milk of choice. Oat milk taste batter with matcha
Assemble
- Fill two tall glasses with ice. Divide the matcha milk between them.
- Spoon the saffron rose foam on top. It should sit, then slowly sink at the edges. Garnish with a few saffron strands or crushed pistachios if you want.
Notes
Start with 1/4 teaspoon rose water. A full teaspoon in this batch tastes like soap.
Cold cream and cold milk hold the foam. Warm cream collapses on the ice.
Stiff peaks are too far. You want a slow pour.
Culinary or ceremonial matcha both work. Sift either one. Lumps do not dissolve in cold milk.
Dairy-free: use a thick oat barista blend for the cream and both milks. The cap will be looser. Froth a little longer, and serve right away.
Store the matcha milk, without ice, in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 day. Whisk again before pouring. Make the foam fresh.
If you already have rose syrup from rose chai, use 1 1/2 tablespoons chilled syrup in the foam and skip the sugar and the rose water.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!