Hong Kong Style Coffee Milk Tea Recipe

Brew the tea

Bring 500 ml water to a near boil (95–100°C / 203–212°F). Add 2 tablespoons of strong black tea leaves (or 2–3 tea bags). Steep for 4–6 minutes for a robust, slightly astringent brew. Strain leaves (or remove tea bags) and set brewed tea aside. If making the cold version, allow the tea to cool to room temperature before combining with milk and coffee (or refrigerate to speed up).

Prepare the coffee

Brew 120 ml of very strong coffee (a short espresso shot(s) or strong drip). If using instant, dissolve the equivalent in 60 ml hot water to make concentrated coffee. Let the coffee sit briefly so it's hot but not scalding when combined with milk; if preparing a cold drink, chill the coffee in the fridge or over an ice bath.

Mix milks and sweetener

In a measuring cup or small pitcher, combine 120 ml evaporated milk and 30 ml sweetened condensed milk. Stir until homogeneous. Taste and add up to 1 teaspoon granulated sugar if you prefer a sweeter profile — condensed milk is already sweet, so extra sugar is optional. Adjust sweetness to your preference.

Combine tea, coffee, and milk

In a large jug, combine the brewed tea (approximately 400 ml after slight cooling/evaporation) with the prepared coffee (120 ml). Taste ratio should be roughly 3 parts tea to 1 part coffee; adjust if desired. Pour in the milk mixture and stir thoroughly until the drink looks uniform and slightly tan in color.

For a hot Hong Kong-style Coffee Milk Tea, gently reheat the combined beverage on low heat until steaming but not boiling. Pour into warmed cups. If desired, top with a small spoon of milk froth or foam. Dust with a light sprinkle (about 0.5 tsp) of cocoa or instant coffee powder for garnish. Serve immediately.

For an iced version, fill serving glasses with ice (about 1 cup per glass). Pour the chilled tea-coffee-milk mixture over the ice. Stir once to chill and combine. Optionally top with cold foam or a light dusting of cocoa/coffee powder. Serve with a straw.

Taste and adjust: if the drink is too strong, add a splash more evaporated milk; if too weak, add a little more brewed tea or coffee concentrate. If too sweet, dilute with brewed tea or add plain evaporated milk. Serve immediately for best flavor.