Last month, I covered my Mom’s Favorite Teas, so this Father’s Day, it only seems right to be covering Dad’s favs. Unlike mom, Dad only has one favorite tea. His tea of choice never changes based on the season or time of day–for Calvin, there is only one tea to drink and there are no substitutes.
Hong Kong Milk Tea is not just my dad’s favorite tea, it’s his favorite beverage of all time. He welcomes a fresh, hot cup as long as it comes from Phoenix Food Boutique, a chain of Hong Kong style cafes found across Los Angeles.
Every time I order tea for Dad, I study how the cafe workers make this drink. The brew is a mix of Lipton tea, 1 jigger of condensed milk and 1 jigger of half-and-half. Yup, they use jiggers to measure out the milks! My main task in creating this recipe was to get the tea strength right.
Although Dad would never enjoy Hong Kong Milk Tea cold, this tea is also delicious served chilled. For the iced version, make sure that the tea is cooled before adding in the milks, then pour it directly over a glass filled with ice. Drink swiftly as you don’t want the tea’s flavor to dilute.
This Hong Kong Milk Tea is bold with the perfect balance of sweet, cream and malt. I hope you enjoy this copycat version of Dad’s favorite tea, and Happy Father’s Day to all the awesome pops out there!
Hong Kong Milk Tea
Makes 1 large cup of tea.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups boiling water
6 Lipton tea bags
1 jigger (3 Tbsp) condensed milk
1 jigger (3 Tbsp) half-and-half
Directions:
- For Hot Hong Kong Milk Tea: Brew the tea bags in the water for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add the milks and stir to combine. Serve in a teacup.
For Iced Hong Kong Milk Tea: Brew the tea bags in the water for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and place tea in fridge to chill. When ready to serve, place the tea in a cocktail shaker, then add the milks and shake to combine. Serve in a glass filled with ice. Alternatively, serve well-chilled, without ice, in a glass placed in a large bowl of ice. Serve with a straw.
