Milk tea is a popular drink that has tea and milk in it. It was invented by people in Taiwan a long time ago. People in Japan liked it too, but they wanted to make it their own way. They used a special kind of milk from Hokkaido island. This milk is very creamy and sweet. They mixed it with black tea or oolong tea. They called it Hokkaido milk tea.
What is Hokkaido milk tea?
It is a drink with black tea and Hokkaido milk. It also has something sweet like honey, brown sugar, or caramel. You need these things to make the milk tea. You can also add small balls of tapioca if you want.
Some people use Assam tea to make this drink. But some people use oolong tea instead. Oolong tea has a fruity and flowery taste.
Sometimes you will not see Hokkaido milk tea on the menu. It may have another name. It can be called Nidashi milk tea or royal milk tea.
Hokkaido milk is special because it is rich, creamy, sweet, and has a vanilla flavor. It also has more fat than other milks (3.6% whole milk). It is good to mix with black tea. The milk comes from cows that live on Hokkaido island in Japan. The cows eat good grass and are happy. That makes their milk good too.
What does it taste like?
Hokkaido milk is creamy and sweet. The black tea is bitter and earthy. They make a good balance in the drink. The sweetener also makes it more tasty.
You can choose how sweet you want your drink to be. You can also choose what toppings you want to add. Besides tapioca balls, you can also have jelly, egg pudding, or cream cheese.
It is a yummy and cool drink that you will like if you have a sweet tooth.
Hokkaido Milk Tea vs. Regular Milk Tea
Both Hokkaido milk tea and regular milk tea have black tea in them, but they use different kinds of milk.
Regular milk tea is the normal kind of milk tea that shops make. It has regular milk and black tea and sugar or other sweet things. Shops can use different kinds of milk like dairy milk, soy milk, or almond milk. The drink will taste different depending on the kind of tea and milk they use. It is better than regular milk tea because the milk they use has a special creamy taste.
What is the difference between Hokkaido and Okinawa milk tea?
Hokkaido milk tea and Okinawa milk tea have the same things in them, except for one thing: the sweet thing they use.
Okinawa is an island in Japan that has a special kind of black/brown sugar called kokuto. It is better than the normal brown sugar you can buy easily. Kokuto is made in a special way that keeps the taste and the good things in it like vitamins and minerals. That means it is good for you too. So if you want a healthy kind of milk tea, Okinawa milk tea is a good choice.
Some shops use whole milk to make the drink too. But as long as it has kokuto as the sweet thing, you can still enjoy the special sweetness of Okinawa milk tea.
Hokkaido Milk Tea vs. Brown Sugar Milk Tea
Brown sugar milk tea does not have any tea in it at all! That is what makes it different from Hokkaido milk tea, which always has black tea in it. Brown sugar milk tea only has boba tapioca cooked in brown sugar and milk.
Brown sugar milk tea is a famous drink from Taiwan made by Tiger Sugar shop. Many people liked it so much, so other shops started to make their own brown sugar milk teas too.
How to make it at Home
You can make the tea at home easily. You can buy Hokkaido milk powder online. If you are in Japan, you can use fresh Hokkaido milk. It is better.
You can drink this drink hot or cold. You can drink it hot in the morning to feel more awake. You can drink it cold in the afternoon or at night to feel more cool when it is hot.
What You Need for Hokkaido Milk Tea
Black tea or oolong. You can use these kinds of black tea:
- Assam
- Earl Grey
- Darjeeling
- English breakfast tea
- Hokkaido milk tea powder
- Something sweet. You can use any of these:
- Honey
- Brown sugar
- Caramel
How to Make Hot Hokkaido Milk Tea
- If you have Hokkaido milk powder, mix it with water and milk first. Put it in the fridge for later.
- Make your tea. Leave the leaves in the water longer if you want a stronger taste.
- Add the cold Hokkaido milk.
- Add the sweet thing you like.
How to Make Boba Pearls
- Cook the boba pearls like the package says.
- To make them ready for milk tea, cook them again in brown sugar syrup.
- This will stop them from sticking together.
How to Serve Hokkaido Milk Tea
- First, put boba pearls and sugar syrup in your glass.
- Then, pour the milk tea you made before.
- If you want cold milk tea, put some ice too.
- If you have a shaker: Put the ice and milk tea in it and shake it.
- Then pour it into the glass with the boba pearls.
Conclusion
Hokkaido milk tea is a good drink because it is creamy and rich. You can also drink it hot or cold. Make a lot at home and share this sweet drink with your family and friends!