What is milk tea?
Ahh milk tea. That nebulous term referring to all manner of weird and wonderful combinations of camellia sinensis and/or herbal infusion and some kind of liquid produced by the mammary glands of a mammal or… some kind of bean, oat or nut extraction. Whatever you have in the house really!
The point is, it’s tea and milk. The specifics are entirely up to you.
Some like it as a comforting warm drink. Some like it iced, sweetened and poured over little balls of Tapioca in the form of boba.
Read our blog: Boba tea according to Chanui.
It’s creamy, it’s rich, it’s delightful. It's milk tea.
Let’s get milky.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Tea: Strong black teas like Assam or English Breakfast work best, but pretty much any tea might work. You’ve heard of mint ice cream haven’t you? Then mint milk tea would probably work!
- Milk: Dairy milk is traditional, but plant-based options like oat, almond, or soy milk are great alternatives if you don't mess with animal products.
- Sweetener: Sugar, honey, or even a drizzle of condensed milk if you want to be a purist.
- Water: H20, aqua, wetness. Best to filter it.
Masala Chai is made by brewing black tea in milk and water, and then sweetening with sugar
How to make milk tea
Here’s a couple of methods to get you started but just take the premise and run with it.
Option 1: Steep tea in water
Brew the tea: Start by brewing a strong cup of tea. Use 1 teaspoon of loose-leaf tea or 1 teabag per cup of water. Bring the water to a boil then pour it over the tea and let it steep for 3-5 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger the tea will be. You know how to make tea!
Heat the milk: While the tea is steeping, gently heat your milk. You can use the stove or a microwave. Be careful not to let it boil; you’re aiming for warm, not scalding. You don’t want that weird milk skin in your tea do you?
Combine tea and milk: Strain the tea (if using loose leaves) and pour it into your favourite mug. Add the warm milk to the tea in a ratio that suits your taste. A decent starting point is a 2:1 ratio of tea to milk.
Sweeten to taste: Stir in your preferred sweetener. Start with a teaspoon and adjust. You can always add more so go easy, sweet thing.
Option 2: Steep tea in milk
This second option cuts out the middle man of water and gives your the uncut, pure, primo experience of milk tea.
Heat the milk: Pour your milk into a saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon of loose-leaf tea or 1 teabag per cup of milk.
Simmer gently: Heat the milk on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Let the tea steep in the milk for 5-7 minutes, ensuring it doesn’t boil. THIS SHOULD BE A NO SKIN ZONE.
Strain and serve: Strain the tea-infused milk into your mug. Add sweetener if desired and enjoy over a crossword or long-form article about the reason for your favourite sports team's current poor form.
The science of tea and milk
Tea contains a variety of flavour compounds such as tannins and essential oils, which contribute to its taste and aroma.
These compounds are obviously water-soluble (if you’re reading this, you probably know what tea tastes like) but they can also dissolve in the fats present in milk. The fats bind to these flavour molecules, creating a richer, creamier taste. Think about stirring a spoonful of cream or butter into a curry or sauce. The fats basically carry the flavours across your tongue and tastebuds.
This is why milk tea often has a smoother texture and fuller flavour compared to tea with water alone.
Science!
Calories in milk tea:
250 ml of whole milk contains around 155 calories before you add any sweetener. This could go as low as 80 calories if you’re using low fat milk.
The overriding opinion at Chanui towers is that if you’re going to go through the trouble of making milk tea, you might as well treat yourself and go for the full fat! Why not even treat yourself to a lovely biscuit!
Iced milk tea
If you’re in the mood for something chilled, follow the same steps but let the tea cool before adding ice, a straw and an optional little umbrella to feel all fancy.
Better yet, pour your milky concoction into that cocktail shaker your secret santa got you back in '07, fill it with ice and shake it like a polaroid picture until you can feel the outside of the shaker get very cold indeed. Strain it into a glass and you’ll be left with a deliciously frothy texture. It’ll also aerate your tea, further enhancing the flavours.
Final thoughts
There is good reason that milky tea drinks are worth multiple billions of dollars worldwide. People love it!
If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, just reach for whatever milk you have in the fridge and the first teabag you find and get steeping. It might just become your new favourite drink.