Our secret recipe, Hong Kong Black Tea Blend, we believe, is the most authentic in the UK.
The key to a great Hong Kong Milk Tea, or Bubble Tea, is to use Ceylon blended from the correct regions.
Our good family friend Mr Lai from a very popular tea shop in HK (one of the most popular street vendors of bubble tea in Hong Kong), shared his secret blend with us late one evening while playing Mahjong, a blend that has been passed down through his family for the past six generations. We now source these revered teas directly from the plantations for UK import, blending the closely-guarded secret mixture of black teas to perfection in the UK, ready for you to enjoy.
Tasting Details
Leaf Presentation
Our loose-leaf tea is BOP, blended to a small leaf, which increases the surface area, maximising the release of polyphenols, catechins, and flavonoids that create its signature strength and flavour.
How to Brew
- Brew your tea strong, at least 1 tablespoon per 100ml of water. We make fairly large batches, 50g to to 3litres of filtered water.
- Simmer in a pan for 8 minutes. We turn off the heat and leave for a further 2 minutes to develop. It should be very dark.
- Strain the leaves out, preferably using a fine silk stocking or mesh strainer. For best results, filter four to eight times to aerate.
- Add 1 tablespoon of evaporated milk per 100ml (and sugar to taste) or a mixture of half-evaporated and half-condensed milk. Adjust to your liking. If following our recipe, use one tin condensed milk and one tin evaporated milk.
- Optionally, add bubbles and serve with a straw.
Did you know
It is rumoured the black tea blend was strained through 'pantyhose' due to its fine holes and ability to filter well, and it is often called ‘stocking tea’, although this is now believed to be untrue. A white cloth stained by tea rather looks the same colour as pantyhose.
The repeated straining through the stocking filter removes fine tea particles and aerates the tea, giving it a thicker mouthfeel and distinctive taste with reduced bitterness. It helps to ensure that the mixed blend tea is evenly spread for optimum smoothness.
