recipes
scratch & sniff: pralines & cream hojicha
pralines & cream matcha latte
ingredients
- 3g matcha
- 30ml water
- 6oz oat milk
- 2oz praline custard
praline custard
ingredients
- 14oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp smooth unsweetened almond butter
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
1. make the praline custard
in a saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, water, almond butter, vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt.
heat over medium-low, whisking until smooth, the sugar has dissolved, and the mixture is steaming.
remove from the heat and let cool completely. transfer to a squeeze bottle or jar and refrigerate.
2. prepare the matcha
sift 3g of matcha into a matcha bowl.
add 30ml of 165°F water and whisk in a "W" motion until frothy.
3. build the latte
fill a 12oz cup with ice.
add the praline custard and oat milk.
pour the whisked matcha over top.
scratch & sniff: apple butter matcha latte
apple butter matcha latte
ingredients
- 3g matcha
- 30ml water
- 6oz oat milk
- 1.5oz apple butter syrup
apple butter syrup
ingredients
- 1oz apple butter
- 2oz fresh apple juice
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
- optional: ¼ tsp fresh lemon juice
1. make the apple butter syrup
whisk together the apple butter, apple juice, vanilla extract, sea salt, and optional lemon juice until fully combined.
2. prepare the matcha
sift 3g of matcha into a matcha bowl.
add 30ml of 165°F water and whisk in a "W" motion until frothy.
3. build the latte
fill a 12oz cup with ice.
add the apple butter syrup and oat milk.
pour the whisked matcha over top.
scratch & sniff: tomato vine matcha latte
tomato vine matcha latte
ingredients
- 3g matcha
- 30ml water
- 6oz oat milk
- 1.5oz tomato vine syrup
tomato vine syrup
ingredients
- 20g tomato vines
- ½ cup boiling water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
1. make the tomato vine syrup
wash the tomato vines.
add the tomato vines and boiling water to a blender and blend for about 30 seconds.
strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, pressing gently to extract the liquid.
stir the sugar into the warm tomato vine liquid until completely dissolved.
allow the syrup to cool completely before refrigerating.
2. prepare the matcha
sift 3g of matcha into a matcha bowl.
add 30ml of 165°F water and whisk in a "W" motion until frothy.
3. build the latte
fill a 12oz cup with ice.
add the tomato vine syrup and oat milk.
pour the whisked matcha over top.
scratch & sniff: cherry vanilla matcha latte
cherry vanilla matcha latte
ingredients
- 3g matcha
- 30ml water
- 6oz oat milk
- 1.5oz cherry vanilla syrup
cherry vanilla syrup
ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of sea salt
1. make the cherry vanilla syrup
add the cherries, sugar, water, lemon juice, and salt to a medium saucepan.
bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently crushing the cherries with a spoon.
remove from the heat and let steep for 10–15 minutes.
strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing gently to extract the liquid.
while the syrup is still warm, whisk in the vanilla bean paste until fully incorporated.
cool completely before bottling and refrigerating.
2. prepare the matcha
sift 3g of matcha into a matcha bowl.
add 30ml of 165°F water and whisk in a "W" motion until frothy.
3. build the latte
fill a 12oz cup with ice.
add the cherry vanilla syrup and oat milk.
pour the whisked matcha over top.
miso banana bread hojicha by after school coffee house
miso banana bread syrup
syrup ingredients
- 5 ripe bananas
- 250g brown sugar
- 100g white sugar
- 500ml water
- 35g white miso paste
1. roast the bananas
preheat oven to 350°f.
place whole, unpeeled bananas on a lined baking sheet. roast for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until skins are dark and the bananas are deeply caramelized and soft inside.
this step builds that “banana bread” depth—don’t rush it.
2. build the syrup base
let bananas cool slightly, then peel and transfer the soft fruit (and any caramelized juices) into a medium–large pot.
add water, brown sugar, and white sugar. bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.
let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. the mixture will darken and thicken slightly.
3. incorporate the miso
in a small bowl, whisk the white miso with a splash of room temperature or warm water until completely smooth and lump-free.
stir the miso mixture into the simmering syrup and mix thoroughly. the miso should add depth and roundness, not saltiness.
simmer for an additional 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat.
4. blend & strain
allow the mixture to cool slightly before blending.
using an immersion blender (or carefully transferring to a standard blender), blend until completely smooth.
strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove pulp. press gently, but don’t overwork it—you want a smooth, pourable syrup.
storage
store in a clean, airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 weeks.
important notes
- use very ripe bananas. unripe bananas contain higher starch levels and can cause the syrup to become thick and pasty when blended.
- avoid over-blending if bananas are not fully ripe.
- if syrup thickens in the fridge, gently warm and shake before use.
cream top
ingredients
- 40g heavy cream (about 2½ tbsp)
- 10–12g banana bread hojicha syrup (adjust to taste)
- tiny pinch sea salt (optional, but recommended)
instructions
- in a small cup or frothing pitcher, combine cream.
- add syrup (start with 10g; increase if you want it sweeter).
- froth using a handheld frother for 5–8 seconds until slightly thickened and glossy.
hojicha latte
ingredients
- 4g hojicha, whisked with 40ml hot water (175°f)
- 30–45ml miso banana bread syrup
- ~4oz (120ml) milk of choice
- ice
- 1 banana
- sugar
instructions
- in a 12 oz cup, fill ¾ with ice.
- add 30–45ml syrup (adjust based on sweetness preference).
- pour milk over ice.
- pour in hojicha.
- top with cream top.
brûléed banana garnish
cut a 1½-inch piece of banana and slice it lengthwise. sprinkle an even layer of sugar over the exposed surface.
using a kitchen torch, brûlée the top until the sugar melts and caramelizes into a deep golden, crackly crust.
let it cool slightly so the caramel sets before placing on the drink.
strawberry tonic in the garden by after school coffee house
strawberry cheong (korean syrup)
ingredients
- 500g fresh strawberries (about 1 lb)
- 500g granulated sugar (1:1 ratio by weight)
- splash of yuzu juice
make the syrup
wash strawberries thoroughly under cold water, or soak in a 1:3 vinegar-water solution for 5–10 minutes to remove dirt and mold spores. gently pat completely dry with paper towels.
cut the strawberries into halves, quarters, or dice them, then place in a clean mixing bowl.
add sugar, reserving a small portion for later. mix thoroughly.
add a splash of yuzu juice and stir to combine.
transfer to a sterilized jar. top with the remaining sugar to fully cover the fruit.
store at room temperature for 1 day, then refrigerate.
after 3–4 days, the syrup will begin to develop. on day 6 or 7, blend using an immersion blender until a smooth, purée-like texture forms.
rosemary vanilla syrup
ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1 cup (200 g) organic cane sugar
- 2–3 fresh rosemary sprigs (don’t overdo it)
- 1 whole vanilla bean (split and scraped)
- or 1½ tsp high-quality vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
instructions
combine water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. stir until fully dissolved.
add rosemary, vanilla bean (or extract), and a pinch of sea salt.
bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat and let steep for 10–15 minutes.
remove from heat and allow to cool. strain out solids before storing.
store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
strawberry matcha tonic
ingredients
- 1 tsp (2g) ceremonial matcha
- 2 oz hot water (175°f)
- ¾ oz rosemary vanilla syrup
- ¾ oz strawberry syrup
- or 1 oz fresh strawberry purée (for a less sweet option)
- 4 oz tonic water
- ice
build the drink
- whisk matcha: whisk matcha with hot water until smooth and fully dissolved.
- build the base
- fill a glass with ice
- add strawberry syrup
- add rosemary vanilla syrup
- pour tonic water
- float the matcha
- slowly pour matcha over the back of a spoon to create a layered gradient
- garnish: add a fresh rosemary sprig
serve
lightly stir before drinking.
brownie batter hojicha latte by after school coffee house
brownie batter syrup
ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ tbsp cake batter extract
- or substitute with equal parts butter extract and vanilla extract or a blend of vanilla, almond, and butter extracts
- pinch of smoked salt
instructions
combine water, sugar, and cocoa powder in a medium–large saucepan.
bring to a simmer and cook for 7–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. watch closely, as the mixture can rise while simmering—use a larger pot to prevent overflow.
remove from heat and stir in the cake batter extract (or substitute). add a pinch of smoked salt and mix thoroughly.
allow to cool completely before transferring to a bottle or airtight container.
storage
store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 weeks.
hojicha latte
ingredients
- 4g hojicha, whisked with 40ml hot water (175°f)
- 30–45ml brownie batter syrup
- ~4oz (120ml) milk of choice
- ice
instructions
- in a 12 oz cup, fill ¾ with ice.
- add 30–45ml syrup (adjust based on sweetness preference).
- pour milk over ice.
- pour in hojicha.