French Pressed Dirty Chai

A decent chai latte is perhaps one of my favorite beverages. The combination of smooth black tea and rich espresso, topped with a frothy sweet cream, immediately offers a sense of calm and coziness.

Here in America, the combination of black tea, spices, and espresso is often referred to as a dirty chai. It’s not unusual for me to order this drink in cafes and tea shops, but I wanted to be able to make it with ease at home, without having to pull out the espresso machine. I discovered this method of making dirty chai in my beloved French press.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups purified water
• ¼ cup ground espresso blend coffee
• 2 tablespoons black tea
• ¼ teaspoon ground clove
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• ⅔ cup half and half

1. Place the ingredients in the bottom of a clean french press. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Pour the water into the french press, stir. Place the lid on the french press with the plunger pulled up. Steep for 7 minutes. Press the plunger down to separate the coffee and tea grounds from the finished product at the end of the 7 minutes.
3. While the chai and coffee are steeping, heat the half and half (or whole milk) in a small saucepan over medium heat. When you begin to see steam, remove from heat and pour into a medium bowl.
4. Froth the milk using either a hand frother or a whisk attachment on a hand mixer.
   
5. Pour the tea/coffee into 2 large cups. Distribute the frothed half and half into each cup and spoon the foam on top.