Homemade Spiced Chai Syrup for Lattes and Coffee
This spiced chai syrup for lattes is brewed slowly with fresh ginger, warming spices, and a touch of mandarin for brightness. It creates a rich, aromatic concentrate you can stir into hot or iced milk for quick chai lattes. Naturally vegan and simple to make, it’s perfect for gifting or keeping in the fridge for daily use.
Ingredients
- 1 – Water ml
- 50 g fresh ginger sliced
- 1 stem lemongrass, cut into a few pieces and crush
- 1 stick cinnamon 5 cm
- 20 pods green cardamom about 7 g, lightly crushed
- 20 whole cloves about 5g
- 25 whole black pepercorns about 3g
- 5 whole allsprice berries
- 5 whole star anise
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 blade mace
- 0.5 tsp dried tumeric or 0.25 tsp ground
- 12 g Black tea around 6 regular tea bags
- 200 g brown sugar
- 100 g maple syrup
- pinch salt
- 1 vanilla pod split and seeds scraped.
- 2 whole mandarins zest and juice
Instructions
- Toast the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, star anise, allspice, fennel, mace, and turmeric in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant but not darkened.
- Roughly slice the ginger. Cut the lemon grass into a few pieces and bruise lightly with a rolling pin or with the back of a knife.
- Add the water, ginger, and lemongrass. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook uncovered for 30–35 minutes, topping up with a little water if needed.
- Continue simmering, with all solids still in the pan, until the liquid has reduced to around 450–500 ml. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt until dissolved. The syrup should lightly coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and add the black tea, vanilla pod and seeds, mandarin zest, and mandarin juice. Cover and let infuse for 10–15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- Strain through a fine sieve or muslin into a clean jug, pressing gently to extract all the liquid. Adjust consistency with a splash of water if too thick, or balance sweetness or acidity to taste.
- Pour into a sterilised glass bottle or jar, seal, and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.
Notes
Substitutions
- Sweeteners: Use all brown sugar for a heavier caramel profile or all maple syrup for a lighter, more aromatic sweetness.
- Tea: Any strong black tea works; English Breakfast or Ceylon are reliable if you don’t have Assam
Flavour Variations
- Citrus swap: Replace mandarin with orange for a rounder, more classic chai flavour, or use lime for a brighter, sharper edge.
- Extra warmth: Add a slice of fresh turmeric, a few coriander seeds, or a pinch of nutmeg for a deeper, earthier finish.
- Floral twist: A few rose petals or a drop of orange blossom water stirred in at the end gives a softer, more fragrant note