Hong Kong Milk Tea
Strong, silky, and slightly malty, this Hong Kong-style milk tea is made by simmering a blend of black tea leaves, then stirring in evaporated milk. A double strain gives the smooth, bold cup you'd find at a cha chaan teng.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Wait
- 5 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Makes
- 2 mugs (about 10 fl oz / 300 ml each)
Steps
Before you start
- Use loose-leaf or CTC-style black tea (Ceylon or Assam works well); a strong, robust tea is the key to a good cup.
- Warm your mugs with hot tap water so the tea stays hot.
- Use unsweetened evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk, unless you plan to skip the sugar.
- Have a fine-mesh strainer ready, and a second one or a clean cloth filter if you want a very smooth cup.
Warm the mugs
- Fill two mugs with hot tap water and set them aside to warm while you make the tea.
- Shake the can of evaporated milk well and measure out ½ cup (120 ml).
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Ready when: Mugs feel hot to the touch.
Tip: Room-temperature milk keeps the tea from cooling too much when you add it.
Boil the water
- Pour 2½ cups (600 ml) cold water into a 2-quart saucepan.
- Set over high heat and bring to a full rolling boil.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break the surface continuously.
Add the tea leaves
- Add 4 tablespoons (12 g) black tea leaves to the boiling water and stir once.
- Reduce the heat right away so the water holds a gentle simmer with small bubbles at the edges.
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Ready when: Leaves sink and the water turns deep amber-brown.
Tip: A hard boil at this point can make the tea bitter.
Simmer to extract
- Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- The liquid will reduce slightly to roughly 2 cups (480 ml) and turn a dark, reddish-brown.
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Ready when: Tea is very dark reddish-brown and smells strong and malty.
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle; vigorous bubbling makes it harsh.
Steep off the heat
- Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let the tea steep for 5 minutes.
- This deepens the flavor without extra bitterness.
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Ready when: Tea is nearly opaque dark brown when you tilt the pan.
Strain the tea
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a heatproof jug and pour the tea through it.
- For a very smooth cup, pour it back through the strainer (or a clean cloth filter) into the saucepan.
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Ready when: Liquid is clear of leaf fragments.
Tip: Press the leaves gently with a spoon to release the last of the tea, but don't squeeze hard.
Sweeten and add milk
- Return the strained tea to the saucepan over low heat just until steaming, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the sugar, if using, until dissolved, then stir in the evaporated milk.
- Heat for another 30 seconds without boiling.
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Ready when: Tea is a uniform, creamy caramel-brown, steaming but not bubbling, and the sugar has dissolved.
Tip: Boiling after adding the milk can cause a skin and a slightly cooked taste.
Serve
- Empty the water from the mugs and divide the milk tea evenly between them, about 1¼ cups (300 ml) each.
- Serve immediately while hot.
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Ready when: Tea is smooth, hot, and glossy.
Tip: Taste before serving; add another teaspoon of sugar per mug if you like it sweeter.
Good to know
Tips
- Strong tea is essential: the milk dilutes the flavor, so the tea should look almost too dark before adding it.
- For iced milk tea, cool the strained tea completely, add sugar and milk, and pour over plenty of ice.
- Pour the tea through a cloth filter or a very fine strainer for the silkiest texture.
- Keep the heat low once the milk goes in so it stays smooth and doesn't develop a skin.
Make ahead
Brew, strain, and cool the tea (without milk or sugar) up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently, then add sugar and milk.
Storage & reheating
Best served fresh. Refrigerate leftover milk tea in a covered jar for up to 2 days and reheat gently over low heat or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Freezing is not recommended, but you can freeze it in ice cube trays for iced milk tea (up to 1 month).
Substitutions
- unsweetened evaporated milk → whole milk plus 1 tbsp extra milk powder, or half-and-half. The tea will be lighter and less rich; evaporated milk gives the classic flavor and silky body.
- loose-leaf black tea (Ceylon, Assam, or a blend) → 6 black tea bags (Ceylon or English breakfast). Result is a little milder; tear none open and increase simmer time by 1 minute if you want it stronger.
- granulated sugar → 2 tbsp (40 g) sweetened condensed milk, replacing 2 tbsp of the evaporated milk. Gives a sweeter, richer, more dessert-like cup.
- granulated sugar → 1½ tbsp (30 g) honey or simple syrup. Stir in off the heat; honey adds a floral note.