How To Make Tea (Black Tea & Milk Tea)

Ingredients

• 2 bags black tea (Assam or Ceylon tea)
• 4 bags black tea (Assam or Ceylon tea)
• 480 mL water (2 cups, heated to 95°C / 203°F (see recipe notes))
• Water (optional) (enough water to pre-warm the tea pot and tea cups)
• ½ cup pouring cream / half and half (or full-fat milk)
• 2 tbsp instant milk powder ((instead of cream / milk))
• Sugar (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring enough water to a boil and pour the water into the serving cups and tea pot until almost full. Set aside until you get the tea ready (this is to pre-warm the tea serveware).

2. 2

   Choose Assam tea, Ceylon tea, or a Breakfast tea, and set aside 2 bags for black tea, and 3 - 4 bags for milk tea. If using loose leaf tea, measure the amount you will need.

3. 3

   Place the loose leaf tea in the tea infuser or disposable / reusable tea bags. Make sure there is plenty of room in the bags / infusers for the tea leaves to expand.

4. 4

   Heat room temperature water to 95°C / 203°F. If you don't have a temperature controlled kettle, heat the water to a boil and then let it cool down for about 2 - 3 minutes to bring the temperature down slightly to about 95°C.

5. 5

   Empty the water in the tea pot, and place the tea bags / infuser in the tea pot.

6. 6

   Pour 480 mL / 2 cups of the hot water into the tea pot and gently stir for a few seconds. Place the lid and let the tea steep.

7. 7

   About 2 - 3 minutes for black tea (plain milk). About 5 minutes for milk tea.

8. 8

   You can either remove the tea bags and set them aside, OR immediately pour the tea into the prewarmed cups to serve as well.

9. 9

   After steeping the tea for 2 - 3 minutes, the tea is ready to be served. Empty the water in the serving cups.

10. 10

    Pour the tea into the cups and add sugar to desired sweetness. Stir to dissolve and serve.

11. 11

    While the tea is steeping, warm the milk in a pot or in the microwave. It shouldn’t be boiling, but fairly warm.

12. 12

    After letting the tea steep for about 5 minutes, the tea is ready to be served.

13. 13

    Empty the water in the serving cups.

14. 14

    Milk tea with cream / milk - Pour the tea into the cups, but leave room for the cream. Pour the cream into the tea, about 2 - 3 tbsp of cream is my preference. But if you're using milk, you may need to add more. Add sugar and stir to dissolve.

15. 15

    Milk tea with milk powder - Alternatively, you can also place 1 tbsp of milk powder directly in each of the serving cups or 2 tbsp into a separate jug with sugar (if using). Then pour just a little of the hot tea and stir the milk powder vigorously to dissolve (this is so that there are no milk powder lumps in the final tea). Top with more tea and strain into the serving cups.

16. 16

    Serve immediately.