Pistachio Milk Matcha With Cheesecake Cream

What you need:

Serves 1

For the cheesecake cream topping:
2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon maple syrup, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Pinch of kosher salt
Vegan milk of your choice, for blending
For the matcha latte:
½ to 1 teaspoon ceremonial-grade matcha powder, plus more to taste
⅓ cup hot (but not boiling) water
Ice, as needed
1 cup pistachio milk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Maple syrup, to taste, optional

What you do:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together cream cheese, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Adjust sweetness as needed, then whisk in milk, teaspoon by teaspoon, until you have a smooth and spreadable consistency.

2. Into a small bowl, sift matcha through a sieve with a spoon or scoop to break up any clumps. Pour in hot water and use a bamboo matcha whisk to make m-shape movements for 30 to 40 seconds, or until the matcha is frothy and no clumps remain.

3. Fill a glass with ice and add pistachio milk, vanilla, and maple syrup, if using. Pour whisked matcha into glass, stir, top with cheesecake cream, and stir again before enjoying.

This post was originally published on VegNews.com.