Homemade Chai Tea Latte

I love the idea of having a signature drink on hand throughout the summer.  And I've been trying to wean myself off coffee, at least in part.  So when hostess/chef Carla from the talk show The Chew demonstrated how to make homemade Chai Tea Latte, I thought I'd give it a shot.  Carla's best suggestion was to make this in quantity.  She was right, as I have been guzzling iced chai throughout Southern California's recent hundred-degree heat waves.  I used my biggest soup pot to make this.  Still, I had to make the recipe twice to use up the case of almond milk that I purchased from Costco.  That was okay too, as it allowed me to prepare about three or four days' worth, and I didn't have to make the second batch until mid-week.  

Homemade Chai Tea Latte

Heat almond milk just to a simmer, being careful not to let it boil, stirring frequently or constantly while heating to prevent scalding on the bottom of the pan.  Add two chai tea bags per carton of milk used.  Proportionally, I used 3 cartons almond milk, six tea bags, three cinnamon sticks, 1/2 c. honey, and 1/3 c. vanilla.  Optional add-ins include ground nutmeg, ground cardamom, cloves, or some sort of chilis.  Once heated, allow tea bags to steep for 4-6 minutes.  Use a funnel to ladle the liquid back into the milk cartons.  Store in fridge for iced chai latte. 

Do you have a signature drink that you enjoy in hot weather?  If you have a recipe to share, please leave a link in the blog comments.