Strawberry Horchata Chai
Strawberry Horchata Chai
Ingredients
For the Horchata Base
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1/4 cup almonds, blanched
- 1 cinnamon stick, 3-inch
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Puree
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Chai Concentrate
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 black tea bags, or 2 tablespoons loose leaf black tea
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick, 3-inch
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
For Serving
- as needed ice
- as needed fresh strawberry slices, for garnish
- as needed cinnamon, ground, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Horchata Base: In a large bowl, combine the rice, blanched almonds, and 3-inch cinnamon stick. Add 4 cups of water. Cover the bowl and let it soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight (up to 12 hours).
⏱️ 240 min
- 2
After soaking, transfer the rice mixture (including the soaking water) to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be milky and fine.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Strain the horchata mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean pitcher or bowl. Squeeze out all the liquid from the solids. Discard the solids.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Stir the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract into the strained horchata. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired. Cover and chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the other components.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Prepare the Strawberry Puree: In a small saucepan, combine the hulled and quartered strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries soften and release their juices, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Transfer the strawberry mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer a smoother puree without seeds. Chill the strawberry puree in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Prepare the Chai Concentrate: In a small saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups of water, black tea bags (or loose leaf tea), fresh ginger, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pods, whole cloves, star anise, and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 8
Remove from heat, stir in the granulated sugar, and let the chai steep for another 5 minutes. Strain the chai concentrate through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof container, discarding the solids. Let cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
To Assemble the Strawberry Horchata Chai: Fill serving glasses with ice. Add 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry puree to the bottom of each glass.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Pour approximately 1/2 cup of chilled horchata into each glass, gently stirring to swirl with the strawberry puree.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Top each glass with about 1/4 cup of chilled chai concentrate. Stir gently to combine the layers. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, if desired. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Strawberry Horchata Chai
For the Horchata Base
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1/4 cup almonds, blanched
- 1 cinnamon stick, 3-inch
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Puree
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Chai Concentrate
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 black tea bags, or 2 tablespoons loose leaf black tea
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick, 3-inch
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
For Serving
- as needed ice
- as needed fresh strawberry slices, for garnish
- as needed cinnamon, ground, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Horchata Base: In a large bowl, combine the rice, blanched almonds, and 3-inch cinnamon stick. Add 4 cups of water. Cover the bowl and let it soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight (up to 12 hours).
⏱️ 240 min - 2
After soaking, transfer the rice mixture (including the soaking water) to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be milky and fine.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Strain the horchata mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean pitcher or bowl. Squeeze out all the liquid from the solids. Discard the solids.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Stir the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract into the strained horchata. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired. Cover and chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the other components.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Prepare the Strawberry Puree: In a small saucepan, combine the hulled and quartered strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries soften and release their juices, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Transfer the strawberry mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer a smoother puree without seeds. Chill the strawberry puree in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Prepare the Chai Concentrate: In a small saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups of water, black tea bags (or loose leaf tea), fresh ginger, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pods, whole cloves, star anise, and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 8
Remove from heat, stir in the granulated sugar, and let the chai steep for another 5 minutes. Strain the chai concentrate through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof container, discarding the solids. Let cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
To Assemble the Strawberry Horchata Chai: Fill serving glasses with ice. Add 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry puree to the bottom of each glass.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Pour approximately 1/2 cup of chilled horchata into each glass, gently stirring to swirl with the strawberry puree.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Top each glass with about 1/4 cup of chilled chai concentrate. Stir gently to combine the layers. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, if desired. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 2 min