Too hot to drink milk tea? Well, the Canadian Food Network (of all sources) reckons it’s got the answer with a rather delicious sounding recipe for Hong Kong Milk Tea Ice Lollies!
Toronto-based food blogger Karon Liu, who is described as “slightly lactose intolerant but will otherwise eat and cook anything”, has pioneered the ingenious idea, albeit with the help of his “milk tea connoisseur” mom.
Made with Orange Pekoe teabags, water, sugar and evaporated milk (hope that doesn’t leave you feeling intolerant, Liu), these cool customers are created out of a highly concentrated version of Hong Kong’s favourite hot drink to account for the flavour loss that occurs when freezing.
Liu describes the milk tea scene in Hong Kong, explaining: “In old-school diners, you’ll see cooks strain the tea through a sack-like cloth (not unlike pantyhose), which has resulted in locals joking about restaurants using old pantyhose to make the tea in an effort to save money. At least, I hope they’re joking.” Us too, Liu. Us too.
The blogger says that, thanks to a large Chinese population, there is, however, quite the milk tea following in the Candian suburb of Markham, which holds an arm of the International Kam Cha Hong Kong Milk Tea Competition each year, with the most recent event having just passed on July 27.
The recipe yields approximately 14 big ice pops from four cups of milk tea. If there’s any left over, Liu says impatient chefs can “technically” drink it, although he warns that it will be a lot sweeter than the classic milk tea he affectionately refers to as the “Chinese Double-Double”. (That’s Canadian for coffee with double cream, double sugar. Fatties!)
Photo: The Food Network, Canada
