THE RECIPE
Guarded by particularly tight-lipped restaurant owners, the recipe for Hong Kong Milk Tea continues to remain a commercial secret six decades after its invention.
Traditionally the tea is produced by blending an assortment of South and East Asian black teas – each adding a different characteristic to the brew - thereby creating complex layers of flavour. Some recipes even call for as many as fifteen different varieties. Any business savvy Hong Kong café with respect for the art of tea brewing, however, swears to secrecy, keeping the exact varieties and proportions securely under lock and key, thereby perpetuating the mystery of the beverage.
The amount of tea and milk, steeping time, temperature and the quality of water all affect the final outcome. Throw in a dose of Pantyhose Milk Tea brewing showmanship and it becomes clear why the annual Hong Kong Milk Tea competition attracts a global crowd of participants.
The Fern and Copper recipe is now two years in the making. Tens of varieties of teas, hundreds of cups, and several caffeine-fuelled insomniac nights later, we believe our own special blend produces a brew that rivals the Hong Kong original, and makes the best Milk Tea you will find in London and the UK. Authentic to the bone, nevertheless, we believe there is always scope for improvement and continue to develop the Fern and Copper Hong Kong Milk Tea recipe until it borders on perfection.
The perfect cup is determined by its colour, smoothness and distinctive aroma. One layer of flavour leads to the next, ending in a pleasant and slightly bitter aftertaste.
Our Hong Kong Milk Tea has the strength of coffee, sweetness of cocoa and the taste of freshly brewed black tea - true to the Hong Kong classic.