Thai Tea Recipe
Make Thai Tea Recipe in just 45m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Thai Tea Base
Creamy Topping / Finish
Method
Thai Tea Base
- 1
Brew the tea
Bring 900 ml water to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Add the 6 tablespoons Thai tea leaves, 1 whole star anise and 2 lightly crushed cardamom pods (if using). Stir once, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 3 minutes to extract color and flavor.
- 2
Steep
Remove the pan from heat and cover. Let the tea steep for 10 minutes off the heat for a strong, bright orange brew.
- 3
Strain and sweeten
Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof pitcher to remove leaves and spices. While the tea is still hot, stir in 6 tablespoons sugar until fully dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 20–30 minutes (or use ice to cool quickly).
Creamy Topping / Finish
- 4
Prepare the milk mixture
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk with 60 ml evaporated milk and 60 ml half-and-half (or whole milk). Stir until smooth. This mixture creates the signature creamy, slightly sweet float. Adjust the ratio to taste for richer or lighter finish.
- 5
Assemble the drink
Fill two serving glasses with large ice cubes (about 1 cup ice per glass). Pour the chilled Thai tea into each glass, dividing evenly (about 250 ml tea per glass). Leave ~2–3 cm headspace at the top for the creamy layer.
- 6
- 7
Serve
Serve immediately with a long spoon or straw so the drink can be stirred before drinking. Optionally garnish with a small pinch of ground star anise or a few crushed ice chips on top. Stir to combine before sipping if you prefer a uniformly sweet, creamy tea.