Cozy up with this creamy, Dirty Pumpkin Spice London Fog Latte! Earl Grey tea, pumpkin-spiced frothed milk, and a shot of espresso makes it the perfect hug in a mug.
I know the name of this hot beverage is a mouthful, but it is undoubtedly a must try! So, what is it? Well, in essence, I combined three beloved lattes into one: Dirty Chai Latte + Pumpkin Spice Latte + London Fog Latte = Dirty Pumpkin Spice London Fog Latte.
Now, a little something to note: Although I like coffee, tea is truly my soulmate. Mixing tea and coffee once seemed bizarre to me, especially since tea has such a delicate taste (I was so wrong!).
When I came across my first Dirty Chai in a quaint café in Amsterdam on a cold, rainy autumn day last year, I remember thinking, ‘Hmm, that’s taste weird, I ordered a Dirty Chai, but why do I taste coffee? And why is it called ‘Dirty Chai’? Must be something fancy.’
Truth be told, I had no idea what a Dirty Chai was, I just ordered it because the name sounded intriguing, like some fancy way of making tea. It wasn’t until I took that first sip and Googled it that I realized it was simply a chai latte with a shot of espresso. I was pleasantly surprised but not completely hooked yet because I felt like it could be better.
Which brings us to the second episode of my mini-series, Pumpkin & Everything Spice! I know I’m a bit late to the Pumpkin Spice party, but who ever said Pumpkin Spice is only for autumn? I would love to be in my warmest Christmas jammies, with wool socks and the coziest blanket, admiring my Christmas tree with a Pumpkin Spice Dirty London Fog Latte cupped in my hands. I’m not waiting another year just to have Pumpkin Spice anything! So, take this advice from me and go make this Dirty Pumpkin Spice London Fog Latte, because it’s cold, and we love pumpkin, coffee, tea… everything! On a serious note, this Dirty Pumpkin Spice London Fog Latte is not just warm from the spices in the pumpkin syrup; it’s also incredibly creamy and pumpkiny from the frothed pumpkin spice infused milk. The single shot of espresso complements the Earl Grey tea so well and it’s literally a warm hug in this cold season.
Have you made this Pumpkin Spice Dirty London Fog Latte and loved it? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Dirty Pumpkin Spice London Fog Latte
Ingredients
- 5 g Earl Grey loose tea (see notes)
- 50 ml Hot Water
- 200 ml Whole Milk or any milk of preference
- 30 ml Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- Single or Double shots Fresh Espresso see notes
- 1-2 tsp Vanilla Syrup/Honey/Sugar depending on sweet preference
Instructions
- Begin by filling a tea bag with loose Earl Grey tea. Place the tea bag in the cup or mug you intend to drink from or serve, add 50 ml of hot water, and set it aside to brew.
- Pour whole milk (or any milk of preference) into a milk frothing jar or saucepan/milk pan, then add pumpkin spice syrup from my recipe or a store-bought one (psst… mine is better!). Stir with a spoon until well combined.
- There are two ways to heat and froth the milkOption 1 (Espresso Machine Steam Wand): If you own an espresso machine with a steam wand, use it to heat and froth the milk. Option 2 (Stovetop & Handheld Frother): Heat the milk in a small saucepan/ milk pan over medium heat, but do not let it boil. When you see tiny bubbles forming around the edge of the pan and steam rising, remove it from the heat. Transfer the milk to a milk jug or mug, and froth it with a handheld frother. (Tip: Stir the milk occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the pan and burning.)
- Using a coffee machine or espresso machine, pull a fresh single or double shot of espresso.
- Remove the tea bag from the brewed tea. By now, the tea should be dark and strong, which is ideal as this intensity helps the tea’s flavors stand out alongside the coffee. If brewed too lightly, the Earl Grey’s delicate notes will be overpowered by the espresso.
- Add the shot of espresso to the brewed tea, followed by a sweetener if desired.I highly recommend adding a small amount of sweetener; the pumpkin spice syrup alone may not be enough, and the additional sweetness helps balance the flavors without making the drink overly sweet.
- Finally, pour the frothed milk into the cup or mug, leaving a little room for the foam. Spoon the remaining foam on top and gently swirl it with the back of a spoon for that coffee shop finish.
