WATCH: How To Make Homemade Milk Tea

by Justin Carlo Estor / August 30, 2019

The heat! In the Philippines! It seems foreverrrr! It’s like we’re always looking for a way to cool down. For a lot of people, there’s only one answer: a sweet cold glass of this Asian favorite, milk tea!

To get our fix, we decided to drop by our favorite milk tea place, Gossip! (You can check them out here.)

So we lined up under the hot sun, got our drinks, and everything was excellent! The only problem: the walk back to the office.

That got us thinking: what if we came up with a way to stock up on milk tea by making it ourselves? This way, we could forget the hassle of going there, the long lines, and bathing in the sun.

1. Here’s our recipe for “Milk Tea That You Can Do at Home Using Cheap Ingredients That You Can Buy Anywhere:”

• 2 bags black tea
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons dairy of choice (You can use regular milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk or even coconut milk!)
• Simple syrup, honey, or brown sugar (to taste)
• 1/2 cup ice, or more as needed

2. Cream Cheese Topping:

• 1/3 cup chilled cream
• 1/2 cup cream cheese  
• 1/4 cup condensed milk, chilled 
• 1 teaspoon rock salt 

Procedure:

1. Combine chilled cream, cream cheese, and condensed milk in a blender.
2. Add a pinch of rock salt and blend for 15 to 30 seconds. DO NOT OVER BLEND.
3. Place mixture in a bowl or sealed container.
4. Add two to three scoops of the cream cheese mixture on top and serve.

3. Egg Custard:

• 5 egg yolks
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• ½ cup hot water
• 1 pack unflavored gelatin powder
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla flavor (1-2 small drops)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 gelatin mold

Procedure:

1. Whisk five egg yolks and set aside. In a pan, simmer evaporated milk over low heat. When it begins to simmer, immediately remove from heat and gradually pour into the egg mixture while whisking. This will temper the eggs.
2. In a separate bowl, briskly whisk hot water and gelatin together. Once smooth, add in sugar and whisk until smooth. Add the egg mixture and vanilla, then stir together with a spoon. Set aside.
3. Lightly oil the gelatin mold. This is where you’ll put the custard. Gently pour in the gelatin mixture through a fine sieve and into the mold. The strainer will strain out any clumps of gelatin, unwanted egg solids, and minimize bubbles.
4. Cool the gelatin down at room temperature for 30 minutes before putting in the freezer, covered for three hours and 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

4. Sago or Pearls:

• 1 cup uncooked sago or tapioca pearls
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar (best if brown)

Procedure:

1. Boil water.
2. Add sago or tapioca pearls. Cover and boil in medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes.
3. Add the sugar and stir. Continue to boil for 20 minutes. Add more water as needed. Turn the heat off. For better results, let the sago or tapioca pearls remain in the cooking pot until it reaches room temperature.

Once all your ingredients are ready, just mix them together, add ice and your preferred straw, and enjoy!

Have you ever tried making milk tea at home? What are your favorite milk tea toppings? Tell us in the comments!