Make your own Spicy Chai Latte

I'm a huge coffee fan but in the cooler months I enjoy an occasional cup of Chai Latte. I recently purchased a pricey can of the instant mix and have been enjoying a cup in the evenings - as a kind of indulgent and comforting dessert.  Rather than replace the dwindling can, I thought I'd try to find a recipe to make it myself. And I did! It makes quite a bit, so I'm considering packaging some of it into air tight containers and giving it to friends during the holidays.  The recipe calls for less chemically stuff than is mentioned on the canned label but this isn't a particularly "healthy" drink. It is, however, a soothing guilty pleasure for those cold nights.

 

Spicy Chai Latte Mix

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder

2 packages instant vanilla pudding

2 1/2 cups sugar (turbinado or brown sugar if you prefer)

1 1/2 cups instant tea

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon cardamon

1/4 teaspoon anise

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to incorporate all of the powders. You'll see that the consistency is a bit grainy so if you have a blender or coffee grinder, it's worth the time to run it through for a finer texture.  I used my Cuisanart burr grinder which worked beautifully. 

To make the latte, add three tablespoons of the mix to a cup of boiling water, stir and enjoy.