This recipe will show you how to make a good cup of Hong Kong milk tea 港式奶茶 with a strong but not bitter tea taste, smooth texture, & aromatic milk flavor.
2-4bagsCeylon tea (if using loose leaf Ceylon tea, use 1 tbsp tea leaves for 250 ml water) The tea in the photo uses 2 tea bags and it was not too strong. I suggest using 4 tea bags if you’ll be adding ice
175mlWater (95˚C or 203˚F)
75mlHot water
100mlEvaporated milk should be roughly one third of the cup
1-2tbspCondensed milk (optional) You can use sugar instead
Instructions
If you’re making milk tea on ice, you can skip step #3; pour the evaporated milk directly into the glass with ice and wait for the other liquids to cool before adding them to the glass.
Heat 175ml of water in a pot to 95˚C or 203˚F, turn off heat, add tea, cover.
Turn the heat back on to simmer for 5 minutes and then turn the heat off again without uncovering. Let the tea steep for a total of 15 minutes The key is to maintain the temperature at around 90˚C or 194˚F without going over 95˚C or 203˚F
Warm 100ml of evaporated milk either by heating on the stove in a pot, submersing the can in hot water, or pouring 100ml into a cup and put it in the microwave for 10 seconds
Pour the warmed evaporated milk into a 12oz cup
Prepare 75ml of hot water to be poured into the tea liquid after tea pulling. Add 1-2 tbsp of condensed milk to this water and stir until melted
Prepare a container, preferably with a spout for tea pulling (I use a glass measuring cup). Pour the liquid from the pot into the measuring cup and then pour the liquid back into the pot at a bit of a distance without spilling any. Do this 4 times. Remove and Discard teabags or tea leaves
Combine the tea with the hot condensed milk liquid and pour into the cup with the evaporated milk.