Thai iced tea with milk and ice

You might know the bright orange cha yen from Thai restaurants, where it comes in a tall glass with a layer of milk swirling down through the sweet tea. The color and vanilla-like flavor come from the classic Thai tea blend from Cha Tra Mue, and the result is strong, sweet, and wonderfully refreshing in the heat. The secret is to brew the tea much stronger than usual, as ice and milk quickly dilute it. You can have it ready in about 15 minutes plus a little cooling time.

• Cuisine: Thai
• Time: 15 minutes + cooling
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Easy

How to make it

1. Boil the water and remove it from the heat. Add the Thai tea blend and let it steep for 5 minutes, so the tea becomes completely dark and strong.
2. Strain the tea through a fine sieve or coffee filter to remove the leaves.
3. Stir in the palm sugar and condensed milk while the tea is still warm, until completely dissolved.
4. Set the tea aside and let it cool completely – preferably an hour in the refrigerator.
5. Fill four tall glasses completely with ice cubes.
6. Pour the cooled tea over the ice, filling the glasses three-quarters full.
7. Top each glass with a good splash of cream or milk, which will form a layer on top.
8. Serve immediately with a straw, and stir just before drinking.

Tips

• Brew the tea twice as strong as you normally would – ice and milk significantly reduce the flavor.
• If you want it less sweet, reduce the sugar and use unsweetened milk instead of condensed.
• Keep the milk separate until the end to get the beautiful layered look before stirring.
• Add a few tapioca pearls to the bottom for a fun boba version, or swap the milk for a plant-based drink.