One of my favorite frozen drinks is the green tea frappe. A very interesting taste experience, green tea frappes feature the slight bitterness of green tea, complimented by the sweetness of milk and cream. Blended with ice, this drink is a cool treat for warm weather.

In coffee houses, green tea frappes are almost always made with matcha green tea, which is a powdered form of green tea leaves. My recipe does not use matcha powder, but rather, a more traditional method for blending lattes into frappes. For this reason, this recipe will not produce the signature green color of matcha powder – the frozen drink will be tea-colored.

ingredients

brewed green tea

3 additional green tea bags

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup crushed ice cubes

1/2 cup milk*

optional whipped cream topping

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

* milk can be switched for any other milk substitute, such as soy or rice milk.

directions

Begin with the green tea-infused simple syrup. Heat sugar and water in small sauce pan, stirring often. Bring to a boil, and add vanilla. Let boil for about 30 seconds, and remove from heat. Immediately drop in 3 green tea bags, and let tea bags steep in syrup until syrup as cooled completely; remove tea bags.

Next, brew a cup of green tea – I made mine extra-strength, with two tea bags. Let tea cool completely.

Crush ice in a blender until it is fine enough to be consumed with a straw. Fill a cup with crushed ice. Pour in 1/2 cup green tea, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/4 cup of green tea syrup; stir. Experiment and adjust with more or less tea, milk, or syrup to get the flavor that you enjoy.

Directions for whipped cream

Combine whipping cream and sugar in a bowl; beat with a hand-mixer on high for 3 minutes or until cream is thick and fluffy. Spoon whipped cream on top of green tea frappe.

Out to find ways to make life simpler, Ashley is tackling life one DIY project at a time. Learning as she goes, she also spends her days writing Indie Pretty Projects and creating for her Etsy shop.

wrap up: {ashley pahl} {drink} {frappe} {green tea} {indie pretty} {recipe}