This recipe for Yuenyueng is a rich and strong drink combining brewed coffee and Hong Kong milk tea mixed together. If you can't decide between coffee and tea, this drink is perfect for you!
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What is Yuenyueng?
It's a drink consisting of a mix of black tea and coffee that is popular in kopi tiams (coffee shops) in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and Singapore.
The drink's name yuenyueng refers to Mandarin ducks (yuanyang), symbolizing the male and female ducks that appear together, but visually look very different.
The pairing of two different items comes together in this unique coffee and tea drink.
Why you'll love this recipe
If you're indecisive like me and can't decide between tea and coffee -- this drink is perfect for you!
You can enjoy this drink cold or hot.
This Yuenyueng coffee tea beverage is based on a 7 parts Hong Kong style milk tea to 3 parts coffee ratio.
I've done the calculation and testing so you don't have to guess!
The hint of bitterness from the coffee pairs well with the sweetness from the HK milk tea.
What does it taste like?
It's the perfect mix of slightly sweet from the creamy milk tea and slightly bitter from the coffee.
In the same vein, if you love tea and coffee together, try my Matcha Espresso Fusion, which is a mix of coffee and matcha green tea.
Ingredients you'll need
You'll need:
- Hong Kong Milk Tea: is a style of black tea; strong, rich black Ceylon tea sweetened with condensed milk
- brewed coffee: hot or cold, depending on how you're enjoying the drink; you can use whatever coffee you like (eg. instant coffee, espresso powder, cold brew)
- condensed milk: or any sweetener; add according to your taste
Note: If you're enjoying this drink cold, I would make the HK milk tea and coffee the night before or use a cold brew coffee.
How to make it
To make it iced:
First, make the Hong Kong Milk Tea according to the recipe. (Do this the night before to let the tea chill in the fridge).
To a tall glass, add a few ice cubes and pour in 90ml cooled coffee.
Add 200ml chilled HK milk tea to the coffee. (Add additional condensed milk to your taste).
Stick in a straw, give it a stir and enjoy.
To make it hot:
In a large mug, add the 90ml hot coffee.
Pour in the 200ml hot HK milk tea and give it a stir. (Add additional condensed milk to your taste).
How to serve
Serve the Yuenyueng coffee tea drink hot or cold.
Pair the drink with Chinese Hong Kong café or bakery favourites such as:
Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes (Feng Li Su) 鳳梨酥
How to store
You can make each component (coffee and milk tea) and store them separately in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Otherwise, you can also prepare the Yuenyueng drink ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Expert tips & notes
Hong Kong Milk Tea will already have a balanced taste from the condensed milk and the black Ceylon tea.
Depending on the type of coffee you use and the brewing method, you may need to adjust the amount of sweetener to your taste.
You can use loose black tea leaves if you don't have finely ground black tea on hand.
For a kid-friendly version, omit the coffee and tea in place of Milo and Horlicks blended together.
Other recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Homemade Pineapple Buns (Bo Lo Bao)
Homemade Matcha Espresso Fusion
Cà Phê Sữa đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee)
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Yuenyueng (Hong Kong Coffee Tea Drink)
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- 210 ml HK milk tea
- 90 ml brewed coffee
- ice cubes
- condensed milk optional, add to your taste
Instructions
To make it iced:
- First, make the Hong Kong Milk Tea according to the recipe. (Do this the night before to let the tea chill in the fridge).
- To a tall glass, add a few ice cubes and pour in 90ml cooled coffee.
- Add 200ml chilled HK milk tea to the coffee. (Add additional condensed milk to your taste).
- Stick in a straw, give it a stir and enjoy.
To make it hot:
- In a large mug, add the 90ml hot coffee.
- Pour in the 200ml hot HK milk tea and give it a stir. (Add additional condensed milk to your taste).
- Enjoy immediately.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Neil
I think I missed this when I was in Hong Kong in 2019! Lynne and I stayed there stopping off for 4 days and did a bit of sightseeing (definitely want to go back to do more) on our way to Bali. As a coffee and tea fan I know I will love this!
Michelle
Oooh yes Neil, you'll have to give this drink a try if you get a chance to go back to HK! Definitely a great choice if you can't decide between tea and coffee 😉
David @ Spiced
What a fun idea to combine tea and coffee in this recipe. I often have that mid-morning feeling of "hmm...do I want coffee or tea?" This is perfect for that time!
Dawn
Tea and milk in one delicious drink? How fun! I would love to give this a try for an afternoon treat! Sounds delicious!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
This is one gorgeous drink... and I can't think of a more pleasant way to get energized in the afternoon!
Beth
I stumbled upon this today, and I just finished a cup. Holy cow, is it good. I love tea and I love coffee, so it was perfect for me.
Cara
This is the perfect drink for me - love the coffee/tea flavor combo! Will for sure be drinking it all summer long!
Gwynn
I was fascinated with this recipe and combining coffee and tea. It is now one of my favorite beverages!
Tayler Ross
I made one of these this morning and it was a great way to start the day! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Michelle
Thanks for trying it out, Tayler! That combination of tea and coffee is just divine! 🙂
Andrea
I've never had this before but it sounds like something I'd love. Thanks for the recipe! I'm going to look for the ingredients today.