Yuanyang tea is a popular drink in Hong Kong that combines the flavor of both coffee and tea into one deliciously powerful energy-giving drink!
Hong Kong-ers are notoriously fast-paced and hardworking people, so figures that they would combine strong black coffee with equally strong black milk tea. Also the name directly translates to “Lovebirds Tea,” so in other words:
Coffee + Tea 4 eva.
The technical ratio is three parts coffee to seven parts black milk tea, but we decided to use a half-and-half distribution to make things easier. Plus, we’re a family of coffee addicts here, so the more of that luscious black gold, the better!
Even if you don’t need this Yuanyang tea for your miscellaneous all-nighters, late nights, early wake-up calls, or all hours binge-sessions of Game of Thrones or [insert your show of choice here], this tea is really delicious and satisfying. Perfect for a mid-afternoon break with a couple of shortbread cookies! You can also try it with our Walnut Cookies, Sweet Sesame Crisps, or if you wanna be really crazy, our Hong Kong Egg Tarts.
Plus, you can always sub in decaf coffee and tea for all that delicious goodness without the electrifying kick in the pants!
You’ll need:
- 1/4 cup black tea leaves to make 4 1/2 cups black tea
- 4 1/2 cups brewed coffee
- 5-8 tablespoons sugar (depends on your preference for sweetness)
- 3/4 cup half and half
First brew your black tea leaves in 4 1/2 cups of water. While the tea is steeping, brew your coffee with your preferred method. Make sure both the tea and coffee are fairly strong!
When the coffee and tea are ready, combine them in a large bowl or carafe.
Stir the sugar into the coffee/tea mixture…
…and add the half and half.
Stir your yuanyang tea thoroughly and serve!
This makes 8-10 servings depending on mug size. You can also serve this tea chilled or with ice! It’s seriously like the best iced coffee you’ve ever tasted, with that hint of fragrant, floral tea flavor infused throughout. If you’re into this, also check out our recipe for bubble tea, made with chewy tapioca pearls!
- ¼ cup black tea leaves to make 4½ cups black tea
- 4½ cups brewed coffee
- 5-8 tablespoons sugar (depends on your preference for sweetness)
- ¾ cup half and half
- First brew your black tea leaves in 4½ cups of water. While the tea is steeping, brew your coffee with your preferred method. Make sure both the tea and coffee are fairly strong!
- When the coffee and tea are ready, combine them in a large bowl or carafe. Stir the sugar into the coffee/tea mixture and add the half and half. Stir thoroughly and serve!
- This makes 8-10 servings depending on mug size. You can also serve this tea chilled or with ice!
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Tiffany says
Do you have a recommended black tea brand we should buy for HK milk tea? I can’t seem to find anything that’s close to what we get at restaurants. Thanks in advance!
Judy says
Hi Tiffany, we like Harney and Sons. Their tea is pretty high quality.
Amy says
Hi can you tell me what brand of tea leaves you use or where you can purchase it from? I have purchased 3 different red tea leaves so far and have not yet found one that tastes like the teas in HK cafes and bakeries.
Judy says
Hi Amy, the red tea we used is from China. We bought it during our travels. Just know that the tea must be very strong in order to balance out the coffee, so depending on the quality of the tea, you might need a larger quantity of tea leaves in order to produce a strong tea. Hope you will give it another try!
Heather says
Yum! I never would have thought of combining coffee and tea but it tastes great; really interesting too! I halved the recipe and used Stevia instead of sugar (about 3/4 tsp). I usually don’t use any sweetener in my coffee or tea and also thought it tasted good without any sweetener. I guess that’s all about your personal preference as to how much sweetener/cream you normally like! Thanks for the great post, Kaitlin :) I love this site!
Kaitlin says
Hey Heather, awesome! This recipe is all about personal preference. I personally go between having black coffee and coffee + milk so I can see how it would be good either way, with or without sugar. Thanks for commenting and reading :)
Anna says
I made your recipe today! I just used what I had on hand:
decaf coffee from Trader Joe’s,
and Irish Breakfast Tea.
Its pretty good but not what I remember from Hong Kong! So I’ll have to get the right tea next time, and probably use the sweetened condensed milk.
Thanks!
Kaitlin says
Hi Anna, yeah a lot of people have been improvising with whatever they have on hand! I think that it’s all personal preference. But if you did want to try out a different tea, I would say it’s definitely worth it to try out some Chinese black tea! Should be relatively easy to find at a Teavana or maybe a Trader Joe’s. Good luck and let us know how any new experiments turn out :)
maryanne says
What type of black tea did you use? I tried making this with regular british black tea and the results were … not so great! Any ideas?
Kaitlin says
Hi MaryAnne, I would say that maybe your tea wasn’t strongly brewed enough. We used a very very high quality Chinese loose-leaf black tea, so you may want to up your amount of leaves or packets that you’re using! The tea should be very very concentrated to stand up to the flavor of the coffee! Hope that helps as this is a really warm and comforting drink!
Maureen says
This is the best combo of tea and coffee ever..Better than a Latta. I also add a splash of vanilla and used palm sugar instead of regular sugar.. I am so glad I tried this…Ty
Sarah says
So glad to hear that you enjoyed Maureen! Some people are really purists about their coffee and tea, but I think that the combined flavors go awesome together. The dash of vanilla is inspired!
Dana says
I made this today and it was beyond delicious. I almost drank the entire carafe. I’m making it again tomorrow morning, and sharing with others. It’s a “why didn’t I think of that” beverage.
Kaitlin says
Hi Dana, so glad you enjoyed it! It’s definitely got an addictive quality ^_^
Laura says
There’s no half and half available in the UK. What substitutes are there? Someone mentioned sweetened condensed milk above – how much?
Thanks!
Kaitlin says
Hi Laura, did a little sleuthing, and you can actually use condensed milk or evaporated milk–both are technically the “authentic” ingredients used in this recipe (one or the other, that is), but for us, we’ve always got half and half on hand for my mother’s morning coffee, so that was simply the easier option for us! Condensed milk is a bit sweeter than evaporated milk, and quite a beloved ingredient in Asia, so I would start with that if you’ve got access!
As for how much to add, I would recommend starting with just a couple of tablespoons and tasting it as you go. If you like it sweeter, just add more! It’s all about personal preference. We like it a little less sweet, as you can really taste the flavors of the coffee and black tea.
Good luck!
Millie says
I love this combo! You can also substitute sugar and half and half with sweetened condensed milk.
Kaitlin says
Hi Millie, Great tip, thanks!
Rich says
Sounds really nice.
For those of us with dairy allergies, what do you think would make the best substitute: soy milk, coconut milk, or something else?
Kaitlin says
Hi Rich, I think soy milk would probably be the best, but almond milk would work too, if you prefer that. Coconut milk would be overpowering. Good luck!
Harvey says
really liking the canto/HK recipes lately (cf. gai lan with beef). would love to see more Hk-style cafe/”cha chan teng” fare! :)
Kaitlin says
Hey Harvey, we’ll see what we can do!
Eliza | Pen + Pan says
Despite multiple visits to Hong Kong, I have never tried Yuanyang tea before. I’m excited to make some myself in the near future! :)
Kaitlin says
Hi Eliza, sounds like a plan :)
Lena says
It might interest some of your readers that Leung Ping Kwan, one of the best known Hong Kong authors and poets, wrote about yuan yang tea and the connections between Hong Kong food and culture in general: http://www.food-scape.net/gfx/writers/luengping/Understanding%20the%20Cultural%20Identity%20of%20Hong%20Kong%20through%20its%20Food.pdf
Kaitlin says
Hi Lena, great article! Check out Pg. 11, everyone! Really informative
Carmen says
Thank you for this!
Little Cooking Tips says
Wow. We never combined those two and IT IS a fantastic idea! We’re gonna drop by the neighborhood bakery for koulourakia to dip into this delicious drink. Excellent work Kaitlin, so yummy!
Have a great day!
Panos and Mirella
xoxoxo
Kaitlin says
Thanks, Panos & Mirella! :)
Heather (Delicious Not Gorgeous) says
been hearing about this combo a lot recently, and it sounds so good! especially because i’m one of those types who likes her coffee very milky and sweet.
Kaitlin says
It’s really really lovely–very satisfying in the morning or afternoon! Hope you try it!