This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) for any sales generated via those links. Thanks for your support!
I’ve always been a tea drinker. Sweet tea runs in my blood, but I’ll never say no to a cup of hot tea, especially on a chilly or rainy day. I keep a stash of tea in my desk at work and drink at least a cup a day. The green tea keeps me going when the 3:00 slump hits!
My latest obsession is the London Fog latte.
It sounds funny, but a London Fog is a latte made with Earl Grey tea. The little coffee bar below my office makes a really good one, and every time one of my coworkers gets one, it smells amazing. I started ordering them at some of my favorite local coffee shops and my obsession has only grown.
Related: Mean Mug makes a great London Fog. They make lots of things great. Go check out Mean Mug Coffeehouse if you haven’t yet.
There’s something about a London Fog that’s extra fitting for a rainy day. Maybe it’s the name. But drinking tea on a gray, rainy day seems like a better mood-lifter than coffee or hot chocolate. It takes me right back to my time in London. I love curling up with a cup of tea on a rainy day at home, or sipping on one at work.
The secret to making a perfect London Fog latte Click To TweetWhile London fogs aren’t the most expensive drink I’ve ever gotten, they add up really quick. So of course, I started thinking about how to make my own at home. I teased this venture in a recent Weekly Sip post and said I’d share my recipe once I felt like I’d nailed it.
Well, I feel pretty good about my recipe, so I’m sharing it!
A good London Fog has hints of vanilla and lavender flavors. I’d bought some dried lavender and steeped some of that in the tea, and I added vanilla extract to get the vanilla flavor. It didn’t taste bad, but it wasn’t quite what I was trying to achieve. Then I overheard a tip from a local barista that changed my at-home London Fog game, and I knew I had it right.
That tip? A vanilla simple syrup. How hadn’t I thought of that before? Probably because vanilla beans aren’t cheap, either.
The other thing that takes my at-home London Fog lattes to the next level is my hand-held milk frother. It’s such a small thing, but foamy milk can really make it taste and feel like it’s from a cafe.
Anyway…
London Fog Latte: The Recipe
For the Vanilla Syrup:
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 tsp dried lavender
For the Latte:
- 6 ounces brewed Earl Grey tea*
- 4 ounces warmed milk**
- 1 tsp dried lavender
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Syrup
*Regular or decaf tea works for this. Recommend using decaf if making this at night.
**I’ve used regular milk and unsweetened vanilla almond milk and both yield a really good latte. Milk choice is up to you!
How to make the best London Fog latte at home Click To TweetTo make it:
- To make the syrup, add the water and sugar to a small saucepan. Split the vanilla bean long ways, but don’t slice it completely or scrape out the caviar. Add the bean and lavender to the saucepan and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Strain out the bean and lavender and set aside.
- Brew the tea in a medium-to-large sized mug with the dried lavender, if desired. Steep for 4-5 minutes, and then remove tea bag and strain out the lavender.
- Add vanilla syrup to brewed tea.
- In a small cup, heat the milk until it is warm but not bubbling. If you have a hand-held frother or similar device, froth your milk until it’s foamy.
- Carefully pour milk into the tea. Stir lightly until it’s mixed.
- Garnish with dried lavender if desired. Drink it warm.
London Fog lattes sound fancy and complicated, but they’re really not hard to make at all. I love drinking mine with some type of cookie, like a madeleine (which I’ve also been experimenting with lately).
Also, fresh and/or dried lavender is just wonderful. It adds such a nice floral note to so many things and just takes them up another level. I may have to start keeping that on hand more often.
Make a London Fog latte at home today with this easy recipe Click To TweetNext time you’re at home on a rainy day, give a London Fog latte a try. The weather outside may be gray and dreary, but this latte is anything but, and I think you’ll be hooked.
What’s your favorite coffee or tea drink to make at home? What’s your secret to making it amazing?
