Five minutes, one pan

The Saffron Golden Latte

A saffron golden latte needs just 5 threads bloomed in a little warm water, and about twelve minutes. Warm milk, honey and cardamom carry it — the morning version of the Herati tea ritual, and the easiest way to make saffron part of an ordinary week.

Makes
1 cup
Prep
2 min
Total
12 min
Saffron
5 threads
Shop the saffron
A tall glass of Afghan saffron golden latte with cardamom-dusted foam, honey dipper and red saffron threads

Method

  1. Bloom

    Put the threads in a cup with 2 tbsp of water just off the boil. Leave for ten minutes — the water should be deep gold and the threads still red.

  2. Warm the milk

    Heat the milk gently until it steams. Do not boil it; boiled milk flattens the saffron.

  3. Combine

    Pour the saffron water and its threads into the milk, add the honey and cardamom, and whisk until frothy.

  4. Serve

    Pour into a warmed cup. If you are using orange zest, twist it over the surface first so the oil lands on the foam.

Notes from our kitchen

  • Oat milk froths best and its natural sweetness means you need less honey.
  • Make the bloom the night before and keep it in the fridge — a stronger extraction, and the morning takes two minutes.
  • One gram of saffron is about 40 lattes. Roughly 50 cents a cup.

Keep cooking

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A bowl of deep red Herati saffron threads next to a branded Authentic Afghan Saffron teacup filled with golden saffron tea

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Afghan Super Negin saffron threads in a crystal bowl with the Authentic Afghan Saffron branded porcelain teacup of golden tea

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All recipes

Made with

The saffron this recipe is written for.

Single-origin Herati Super Negin, single-origin and harvest-dated.

The hero
The 1 gram crystal bottle of Authentic Afghan Saffron Super Negin threads

For giving

The Crystal Bottle — 1 g

One gram of Super Negin in a crystal keepsake bottle. About 60 cups of tea.

$12.99About 60 cups of tea
Give the bottle
Most gifted
The Authentic Afghan Saffron gift box beside the branded porcelain teacup of golden saffron tea

For the ritual

The Gift Box

Two crystal bottles in a gold-foiled gift box.

$27.991 g + teacup & saucer
Shop the set
All-red Super Negin saffron threads heaped in a cut-crystal footed bowl

For the kitchen

The Connoisseur Jar — 5 g

For the kitchen that cooks with saffron, not around it.

$44.99$12.00/g
Shop 5 g

Free U.S. shipping over $50 · Gift wrap and a handwritten card available