Drinks · Cozy Sips

Roasted Brown Sugar Bourbon Milk Tea with Grass Jelly

Grass jelly was a constant in my childhood in Malaysia. You would find it in cold drinks at the hawker stall, bobbing in sweetened milk or syrup, always a little mysterious to anyone who had not grown up eating it. This drink started with a tin of grass jelly in my fridge and a curiosity about what would happen if I roasted the brown sugar with the tea before adding the milk. The answer is something deeply caramelised and slightly smoky that pairs with the bitter, herbal notes of the grass jelly in a way that makes complete sense. The whipped cream on top is the finishing touch that pulls it all together.

Ingredients

Serves 2

Method

  1. 1Add the loose-leaf tea and brown sugar to a pot and heat gently until the sugar melts and lightly toasts.
  2. 2Pour in the milk and heat until it reaches a boil, then remove from heat and strain out the tea leaves.
  3. 3Add cut grass jelly to a serving cup and fill with ice.
  4. 4Pour the roasted milk tea over the ice and grass jelly.
  5. 5Top with freshly whipped heavy cream and serve.

Tips & Notes

Watch the sugar carefully as it toasts in the pot as it can go from lightly caramelised to burnt very quickly. Let the milk tea cool slightly before pouring over the ice so it does not melt everything at once. Grass jelly is available canned at most Asian grocery stores and can be stored in the fridge once opened. Whip the heavy cream just before serving so it stays fluffy on top.