Yerba Mate is so versatile that it pairs very well with other herbs and spices, such as our Yerba Mate Chai or the fresh Yerba Mate Rooibos Orange . The best chefs and bartenders have experimented with Yerba Mate to incorporate it into cocktails with and without alcohol, even pastries. We select these recipes that are true delicatessen.
Yerba Mate is not just meant to be enjoyed with mate and bombilla or colada in a cup (cooked mate).
It is such a versatile herb that it pairs very well with other herbs and spices, such as our Yerba Mate Chai or the fresh Yerba Mate Rooibos Orange . The best chefs and bartenders have experimented with Yerba Mate to incorporate it into cocktails with and without alcohol, even pastries.
As the somewhat bitter taste of mate to which we are accustomed in South America is not for all palates, mixing it with other flavors or sweets is very common, as you will see in some of these recipes. You can follow them to the letter or make the Yarí Yerba Mate mix in hot water and let it cool.
Dare to innovate and surprise your friends with these unique creations
1- Mate Chai Latte
Let’s start with our favourite… And because it is so easy that you will not be able to refuse to try it.
It is a variant of the famous Chai Latte Tea , whose basic recipe has already inspired many more by changing the origin of vegetable milk.
But at Sweetea we replace the base ingredient using our Yerba Mate Chai that contains a blend of specially selected quality herbs and all the components of Chai tea (black tea, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and vanilla).
You can also prepare your own mix with the best Yerba Mate and Chai Tea with Stevia, balancing the proportions and flavors to your liking.
But let’s go to our Mate Chai Latte.
Ingredients for 2 cups:
– 2 tablespoons of Yerba Mate Chai Yarí or your already prepared mix
– 100 ml of water
– 400 ml of coconut or almond milk
– Cinnamon powder
Place the mixture of Yerba and Chai in 100 ml of hot water. Let infuse 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the non-dairy milk to a boil.
Strain the infusion into a pot or pitcher to serve and add the very hot milk. Divide into 2 cups and decorate the surface with cinnamon powder.
2- Caipi Mate
We are not in Brazil, but why not adopt its best customs? Especially if we talk about caipirinha. This recipe makes any meeting with friends cool.
Ingredients for 2 Martini size glasses
– 70 ml of cachaça (Brazilian brandy that you get in supermarkets)
– 2 tablespoons of Yerba Mate
– 1 spoon of sugar
– 1 subtle lemon
– 1 common lemon
– 4 or 5 ice cubes
In a container, mix the cachaça with the yerba, stirring with a spoon. Let stand to infuse, at room temperature. Then strain the infusion.
Cut the lemon into pieces and take them to the cocktail shaker. Add the sugar, half of the infusion and crush the mixture with the tamper of a mortar or the head of a small rolling pin.
Add the ice and the rest of the alcoholic infusion to the shaker and shake vigorously. Serve over martini glasses and garnish with a slice of common lemon or mint leaves. It can be drunk with a straw or directly from the glass.
If you want a stronger variant, replace the cachaça with vodka and prepare your own Caipiroska Mate recipe.
3- Cheese Bread and Yerba Mate
Who said that Yerba Mate does not feed? This cassava bread recipe, in addition to being delicious, is gluten-free.
Ingredients
– 1 cup of milk
– 3 eggs
– ½ cup of oil
– 2 tablespoons of grated cheese
– 3 tablespoons of Yerba Mate Yari ground in a mortar
– 500g of cassava flour
– ½ cup of boiling water
– 1 teaspoon of sugar
– Salt to taste
In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, oil, salt, sugar, boiling water and grated cheese. Use a mixer on medium speed. Little by little add the cassava flour, pausing to beat.
Sift the ground yerba mate to make it finer and add it to the mixture, beating a little more.
You can use a pudding mold or individual cupcake molds, always buttered. Place the mixture in its molds and take it to a preheated oven at 200°C for about 20 minutes.
Let cool, unmold and taste this delight.
4- Yerba Mate Chocolates
Surely you have ever tasted a chocolate cake drinking mate and you know that the two combine perfectly.
In this case we will make some chocolates to lick your fingers.
Ingredients
– 400g of condensed milk
– 30 g butter
– 300g of milk chocolate (cup chocolate)
– 1 tablespoon of Yerba Mate Yarí ground
In a small pot add the condensed milk, the yerba mate and the butter. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until the mixture begins to come off the walls. Let cool, it can be in the fridge
Once the mixture is cold, shape the dough into balls. On the other hand, melt the chocolate in a Bain-Marie or in the microwave.
Pass each ball through the melted chocolate and place them on parchment paper until dry.
Easier impossible. Have you thought about who you’re going to taste this delight with?