Thai Iced Tea Float/thai Iced Coffee Float Recipe

Brew the tea

Bring 1000 ml water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 6 tablespoons Thai tea mix, stir, and steep 8 minutes for strong flavor (steep 5–7 minutes for lighter).

Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof container to remove leaves and spices. Press gently to extract liquid but avoid over-bitter extraction.

While still warm, stir in 200 g sugar until fully dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness — Thai tea is typically quite sweet.

Allow the sweetened tea to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 1 hour until chilled (or add ice to cool quickly, see serving step). Yield: about 900–1000 ml chilled Thai tea concentrate.

Brew strong coffee

Brew 240 ml strong dark coffee using your preferred method (espresso, French press, or very strong drip). Use a 1:15–1:12 coffee:water ratio for strength or use Thai-style coffee grounds brewed in a sock filter if available.

While hot, stir in 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (and up to 10 g sugar if needed) until dissolved. Chill the coffee in the refrigerator or an ice bath until cold (about 30 minutes). Yield: ~240 ml sweetened coffee base.

Prepare cream mixture

Combine 120 ml evaporated milk and 120 ml whole milk (or half-and-half) in a small pitcher. If you prefer richer float topping, replace part or all of the whole milk with additional sweetened condensed milk (reduce sugar in base accordingly). Chill until assembly.

Assemble Thai Iced Tea Float (for tea)

Fill a tall glass with 6 ice cubes or 1 cup crushed ice. Pour 200–240 ml chilled Thai tea concentrate over the ice, leaving 3–4 cm (approximately 1 in) headspace. Swirl 15–30 ml sweetened condensed milk around the inside of the glass if desired for extra creaminess. Top with 1–2 scoops vanilla (or coconut) ice cream. Slowly pour 30–60 ml cream mixture over the ice cream to create the float effect. Garnish with a star anise or mint sprig and a light dusting (optional) of ground cinnamon or nutmeg.

Assemble Thai Iced Coffee Float (for coffee)

Fill a tall glass with 6 ice cubes or 1 cup crushed ice. Pour 180–240 ml chilled sweetened coffee over the ice, leaving headspace for ice cream. Add 1–2 scoops vanilla (or coconut) ice cream. Drizzle 15–30 ml sweetened condensed milk or the cream mixture over the ice cream. Garnish with a light sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.

Serve immediately with a straw and long spoon so drinkers can stir the ice cream into the tea/coffee to their preferred creaminess. Optionally serve with a side of extra sweetened condensed milk for additional sweetness.

If using star anise, float 1 piece on top for aroma. Add a mint sprig for color. Lightly dust the top with 1/8–1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.