Milk Tea Rice Pudding

This Milk Tea Rice Pudding is a creamy and delicious, slightly sweetened dessert of tender cooked glutinous rice flavored with Hong Kong-style milk tea.

What is rice pudding?

Rice pudding is a dish of rice cooked in a mixture of milk and flavorings, often sweetened and enjoyed as a dessert.

There are many variations of rice pudding around the world.

Traditionally, white rice is used to make rice pudding.

What does rice pudding taste like?

Rice pudding has a soft and creamy texture, with a sweet and milky flavour.

This version of Milk Tea Rice Pudding has a strong milky tea flavor.

Types of rice

There are many types of rice:

• long-grain rice: includes jasmine rice/Thai rice (sticky glutinous rice)/basmati rice
• short-grain rice: includes sushi rice
• arborio rice: used for risotto

What is Hong Kong milk tea?

Hong Kong milk tea is a strong black Ceylon tea that is lightly sweetened and finished with evaporated milk, which results in a rich and creamy beverage.

Hong Kong milk tea is often referred to as "silk stocking tea" because it is traditionally strained through a cloth resembling pantyhose or silk stockings, which helps to create its signature smooth consistency.

With its sweet, creamy and bold tea taste, Hong Kong milk tea is a versatile flavor used in bubble tea, ice cream, or milk tea popsicles.

Why you'll love this recipe

Inspired: this recipe for Milk Tea Rice Pudding is inspired by the method of making Mango Sticky Rice.

Delicious: the sticky glutinous rice in this recipe is flavored with Hong Kong-style milk tea instead of coconut milk, giving it a unique twist.

Gluten-free: this rice pudding dessert is naturally gluten-free.

Ingredients you'll need

• glutinous sticky rice: soaked overnight; you can also use jasmine rice if you wish
• Hong Kong milk tea: the tea base that gives the rice pudding its flavor; preferably made ahead of time
• whole milk: or oat milk
• evaporated milk: adds richness and creaminess; comes in a can
• sweetened condensed milk: add sweetness; you can omit and use granulated sugar to taste
• heavy cream: adds creaminess, optional

How to make milk tea rice pudding

The night before:

Rinse and soak the glutinous sticky rice overnight.

Brew the Hong Kong milk tea.

Cook the rice:

Add the drained sticky rice to a shallow heat-proof dish.

Bring a pot of water up to a boil and place the dish with the sticky rice in.

Cover with a lid and steam for 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.

Combine:

Remove the rice and while still hot, pour in the milk tea, whole milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk (or sugar) and heavy cream (if using).

Gently stir to combine the rice with the milk tea mixture and let it absorb.

Serve warm.

Variations

You can easily change up the flavor; try adding matcha, hojicha, or earl grey tea.

If you prefer a softer consistency of rice pudding, you can add more milk and cream.

Finish the rice pudding with an extra drizzle of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, or whipped cream.

How to serve

It's best to serve this particular Milk Tea Rice Pudding warm, or at room temperature as the sticky glutinous rice will harden as it cools.

Because of this, I don't recommend serving this rice pudding chilled.

How to store & reheat

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat the milk tea rice pudding, add a splash of milk and cover with a lid.

Microwave for 1-2 minutes on high, or until heated through and the rice grains soften.

You can also re-steam the rice pudding until warmed through.

Other Hong Kong milk tea recipes you may like