Earl grey milk tea with lavender (London Fog)
Cozy, creamy, and fragrant with bergamot and vanilla, this vegan London Fog tastes like a coffeehouse treat, only lighter and kinder on sugar. We will brew strong Earl Grey, warm plant milk just until silky, and add a whisper of lavender for a gentle floral note. Ready in about 8 minutes. Grab your mug and make it now.
Servings: 1
Calories: 88kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or barista oat milk for extra foam
- 1 Earl Grey tea bag or 1 to 2 teaspoons loose leaf
- 1 pinch culinary lavender optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar-free sweetener to taste (see notes below)
- Small pinch fine sea salt optional (boosts flavors)
- Optional topping: steamed milk foam or a splash of plant cream
- Optional garnish: tiny sprinkle of lavender or a dusting of cinnamon
Instructions
Brew the tea
- Bring 1 cup of water to a bare simmer, not a rolling boil. Remove from heat, add the Earl Grey and the lavender if using, then cover and steep 4 to 5 minutes. For stronger flavor, steep up to 6 minutes, then stop to prevent tannic notes.
Warm the milk
- In a small pot, gently heat the plant milk until hot but not boiling, ideally in the 140-149F range (60 to 65 C range). Take off the heat, then stir in vanilla, maple or sweetener, and a tiny pinch of salt.
Combine and strain
- Pour the brewed tea through a fine mesh sieve into a warmed mug to catch any lavender or tea fines. Stir in the warm vanilla milk.
Froth and finish
- If you have a frother, foam a little extra plant milk and spoon it on top. Garnish lightly with lavender or cinnamon. Sip and enjoy.
Notes
No frother, no problem
- French press: add hot milk, plunge 10 to 15 times for microfoam.
- Jar method: shake hot milk in a heat-safe jar for 20 seconds, microwave 10 to 15 seconds to set the foam.
- Whisk: tilt the pot and whisk briskly where milk meets air for 30 to 45 seconds.
- Cover the tea while it steeps to keep the aromatics in the cup.
- If it tastes bitter, lower water temp next time, shorten the steep, or reduce lavender. A small pinch of salt can help boost the flavor, too.
- If it tastes weak, use 2 tea bags or steep for up to 6 minutes. You can also try adding a little less milk.
- Orange zest loves bergamot - a couple of quick swipes over the mug brightens everything.
- Brew double strength tea, 2 bags in 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes.
- Sweeten while hot, cool completely.
- Fill a tall glass with ice, add ½ to ¾ cup cold plant milk, then pour in the tea.
- Optionally finish with cold foam.
- Heat water in a mug until steaming, steep tea and lavender for 4 to 5 minutes (covered).
- In a second mug, heat milk for 45 to 60 seconds, stir in vanilla and sweetener, froth using one of the hacks above, then combine.
- Tea concentrate: brew 4 bags in 2 cups hot water for 5 minutes. Strain, sweeten to taste, cool. Refrigerate up to 3 days. For each serving, use ½ cup concentrate plus ½ to ¾ cup hot or cold plant milk.
- Vanilla syrup: simmer ½ cup water with ½ cup sugar or allulose for 2 minutes, remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons per mug.
- Decaf: use decaf Earl Grey for an evening wind down.
- Extra cozy: swap a splash of plant cream for part of the milk.
- Maple cinnamon: add a tiny pinch of cinnamon to the milk while warming.
- Bitter? Shorten steep, reduce lavender, add a pinch of salt.
- Flat? Add ½ teaspoon more vanilla or a drizzle of maple, finish with orange zest.
- Foam collapses? Keep milk below a boil, use barista plant milk, froth before combining and spoon foam on last.