Blueberry Iced Matcha
There are signs of spring all around this week. Teeny tiny green things poking up out of the ground, little green buds on trees that were previously nothing but brown, and snowdrops and crocuses are dotting the earth.
I have a vase full of daffodils on my kitchen counter to remind me that spring is coming, and after that, the glorious days of summer.
Summer means freedom. It means time off work, freedom from heavy layers of clothing. It means drives out to the valley to go to the farm for baskets of freshly-picked berries.
And it’s about time, too. I jus used up the last of my frozen blueberries making this recipe! To be fair, one great thing about living where I do is that you can get local, frozen BC blueberries all year long. I get mine from SPUD, but you can probably find them at your local grocery store without any problem.
To celebrate spring, I wanted to make a really pretty drink made with layers of spring colours. You could, of course, do this in a very similar way with strawberries, but I like the flavour and texture of the blueberries in this Blueberry Iced Matcha. If you don’t blend and strain the syrup, the leftover chunks of berries give a similar experience to drinking boba, and I’m here for it!
A quick word about matcha: the difference between the really good stuff and the okay stuff is about $20-$30. You can buy matcha powder for under $10 at your local Japanese grocery store or T&T, but you’ll find that the colour won’t be quite as green and vibrant as the really good stuff. The really good stuff, however, is much more expensive. So let your wallet be the judge. By the way, store your matcha powder in the freezer, as it’s delicate and doesn’t last too long. I also really like to bake with it and incorporate it into recipes.
Okay, let’s gooooooo!
Blueberry Iced Matcha
Ingredients
For the blueberry syrup
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/4-1/2 cup sugar depending on how sweet you like it
- 1/2 cup water
For the rest of the blueberry iced matcha
- 1 tbsp matcha (green tea powder)
- 3-4 tbsp off-boiling water
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk like oat
- ice
Instructions
To make the blueberry syrup:
- In a small saucepan, place the blueberries, the water and the sugar and bring up to the boil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce to a simmer, and allow to simmer about 5 minutes. Mash the mixture with the back of a spoon or a potato masher to help to burst the blueberries and make them break down. Simmer for another 5 minutes or so until the blueberries are thickened and syrupy.
- You can either use the syrup now as-is (set it aside to cool) or, if you want it to be less rustic, blend it for a few seconds in a blender and then run it through a sieve to remove all the bits.
- Pour the syrup into a mason jar and set aside to cool.
To make the Blueberry Iced Matcha:
- Boil water, but allow the water to cool slightly before making the matcha. You want it to be around 175 degrees (water boils at around 190-200 degrees).
- Sift your matcha using a small sieve into a small bowl or a large cup. Top with a few tablespoons of the boiling water and then whisk vigorously to really allow the matcha to dissolve into the water. Set aside.
- In a tall glass, place a few tablespoons of the blueberry syrup.
- Top with lots of ice; you should be able to see the ice above the blueberry syrup.
- Top that with the oat milk.
- Slowly pour the matcha over top of the oat milk. If you do this carefully, you should get a layered look to your drink.
- Mess it all up by stirring it and enjoy.
Video
@findbex Blueberry Iced Matcha! 🫐🍵 #matcha #bluberry #vegan #plantbased #icedmatcha #easyveganrecipes #diy #howto #recipe #tutorial #drink ♬ Dreamy Vibes - Ocean Bay Jazz