Saskatoon Tea Latte Recipe

Prep berries

If using whole dried Saskatoon berries, lightly crush them with a mortar and pestle or by placing in a zip-top bag and pressing with a rolling pin (this releases flavor). If using a commercial Saskatoon tea blend, skip crushing.

Simmer tea

Combine the crushed Saskatoon berries (or tea blend) and 500 ml water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to extract color and flavor.

Add body and sweeten

After 10 minutes, add the black tea (or 1 teaspoon strong black tea leaves if using instead of bags) to the saucepan and simmer 1–2 more minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or maple syrup and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity; the lemon brightens the berry flavor.

Strain

Remove from heat and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof container, pressing on solids to extract liquid. You should have about 1.5 cups of concentrated Saskatoon tea. Discard solids. Keep warm.

Heat milk

In a separate saucepan, warm 2 cups milk over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling (around 70–80°C / 160–175°F). Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.

Flavor milk

Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon optional sweetener to the warm milk. If you prefer a frothy latte, froth the milk with a hand frother or use a small whisk, or shake in a tightly sealed jar for 20–30 seconds until frothy.

Combine

Divide the warm concentrated Saskatoon tea between two cups (about 3/4 cup per cup). Pour an equal amount of the warmed milk into each cup (about 1/2 cup milk plus foam). For a stronger berry presence, add 1 tablespoon Saskatoon berry preserves or syrup to each cup before pouring milk.

Finish

Lightly dust each latte with 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon or a pinch of grated dried Saskatoon berry for aroma. Taste and add additional sweetener if desired.

Serve

Serve immediately while warm. Optionally provide extra syrup or preserves at the table.