Ingredients
- 4 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Loose Leaf Black Tea (Assam or Ceylon is best)
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 4 Whole Star Anise
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks & 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk (For the float)
- Plenty of Crushed Ice
Nutrition per glass:
Calories: 180
Fat: 4g
Carbs: 35g
Sugar: 32g
Instructions
1
The Boil: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Once boiling, add the loose leaf tea, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla extract. (If you like a tart kick, you can add 1 tsp of tamarind paste here).
2
The Steep: Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Then, remove the pot from the heat completely and let it steep for at least 15 more minutes. You want a concentrate that is extremely dark and almost uncomfortably strong.
3
Sweeten: Strain the tea solids out using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. While the tea is still hot, whisk in the sugar and the sweetened condensed milk until fully dissolved. Taste it—it should be very sweet, as the ice will dilute it later.
4
The Pour: Fill tall glasses to the brim with crushed ice (crushed ice is traditional for the street-stall experience). Pour the tea mixture over the ice, leaving about an inch of space at the rim.
5
The Float: Gently pour 2 tablespoons of Evaporated Milk (not condensed) on top of each glass. Do not stir immediately. Let it create creamy swirls for that signature look.
Barista Tips
The Orange Color: Without dye, this tea will be a beautiful deep reddish-brown (amber). If you desperately want the orange look for photos, add a pinch of turmeric or annatto seed during the boil.
The Milk: Do not swap Evaporated Milk for regular milk. The savory, rich profile of evaporated milk is essential to balance the extreme sweetness of the condensed milk.