20 Calorie Thai Iced Tea

ligytha

I love love love Thai iced tea. I've been making it this way for most of the summer now so I think I have worked out the kinks. Real Thai iced tea uses sweetened condensed milk mixed with cream or whole evaporated milk. The former yields a sweeter tea due to the extra sugar and is what I like, so that is what you get Some US places use half-and half. You could also use coffee-mate, probably.

Need:
Thai blend tea (see below for substitute if you can't find this)
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon splenda
Splenda to taste to sweeten tea

Thai blend tea substitute:
2 cups loose leaf black tea
6 Star anise, ground (not regular anise)
2 teaspoons dried orange flowers (substitute dried orange peel or half as much fresh zest)
2 teaspoons powdered vanilla
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 pinch clove
1 pinch cinnamon

1. Brew tea to get 32 cups. This will take about 2/3 of a cup of tea leaves.
2. Let steep for 4-5 minutes
3. Put in fridge to let cool
4. Put evaporated milk and splenda in a small saucepan. Let heat until splends dissolves and the mixture is slightly thickened to a thin syrup. You can also do this in a microwave.
5. Let sweetened condensed milk substitute mixture cool.
6. Once tea is chilled, pour 2 cups into tall glasses and sweeten with 1-2 teaspoons of splenda.
7. Add ice if desired
8. Pour 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk substitute mixture on top. It may sink. This is ok.
9. Blend and drink!

Servings 16
2 cups tea per serving
16 Servings

Amount Per Serving
Calories 20.0
Total Fat 0.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.6 mg
Sodium 18.7 mg
Potassium 161.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5.1 g
Dietary Fiber 0.1 g
Sugars 1.9 g
Protein 1.3 g
Vitamin A 1.3 %
Vitamin B-12 0.6 %
Vitamin B-6 0.6 %
Vitamin C 0.6 %
Vitamin D 3.2 %
Vitamin E 0.0 %
Calcium 5.1 %
Copper 2.3 %
Folate 6.3 %
Iron 1.6 %
Magnesium 2.5 %
Manganese 55.0 %
Niacin 0.2 %
Pantothenic Acid 1.7 %
Phosphorus 3.8 %
Riboflavin 6.9 %
Selenium 0.6 %
Thiamin 0.6 %
Zinc 1.5 %

ligytha

I love love love Thai iced tea. I've been making it this way for most of the summer now so I think I have worked out the kinks. Real Thai iced tea uses sweetened condensed milk mixed with cream or whole evaporated milk. The former yields a sweeter tea due to the extra sugar and is what I like, so that is what you get Some US places use half-and half. You could also use coffee-mate, probably.

Need:
Thai blend tea (see below for substitute if you can't find this)
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon splenda
Splenda to taste to sweeten tea

Thai blend tea substitute:
2 cups loose leaf black tea
6 Star anise, ground (not regular anise)
2 teaspoons dried orange flowers (substitute dried orange peel or half as much fresh zest)
2 teaspoons powdered vanilla
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 pinch clove
1 pinch cinnamon

1. Brew tea to get 32 cups. This will take about 2/3 of a cup of tea leaves.
2. Let steep for 4-5 minutes
3. Put in fridge to let cool
4. Put evaporated milk and splenda in a small saucepan. Let heat until splends dissolves and the mixture is slightly thickened to a thin syrup. You can also do this in a microwave.
5. Let sweetened condensed milk substitute mixture cool.
6. Once tea is chilled, pour 2 cups into tall glasses and sweeten with 1-2 teaspoons of splenda.
7. Add ice if desired
8. Pour 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk substitute mixture on top. It may sink. This is ok.
9. Blend and drink!

Servings 16
2 cups tea per serving
16 Servings

Amount Per Serving
Calories 20.0
Total Fat 0.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.6 mg
Sodium 18.7 mg
Potassium 161.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5.1 g
Dietary Fiber 0.1 g
Sugars 1.9 g
Protein 1.3 g
Vitamin A 1.3 %
Vitamin B-12 0.6 %
Vitamin B-6 0.6 %
Vitamin C 0.6 %
Vitamin D 3.2 %
Vitamin E 0.0 %
Calcium 5.1 %
Copper 2.3 %
Folate 6.3 %
Iron 1.6 %
Magnesium 2.5 %
Manganese 55.0 %
Niacin 0.2 %
Pantothenic Acid 1.7 %
Phosphorus 3.8 %
Riboflavin 6.9 %
Selenium 0.6 %
Thiamin 0.6 %
Zinc 1.5 %

kleimola

This sounds good. You could also use Fat free Half and Half (although this seems like an oxymoron, it does exist) and I think it is Bigelow makes a Thai Tea bag that I brew and use. It is pretty good.

ligytha

Teavana also makes a Thai tea blend that isn't too bad. I buy it by the pound from a spice shop, but I realise that depending on where you live, the stuff might be hard to find. If you live in the Boston area, check out Christina's Spice & Specialty Foods in Inman Square, Cambridge.

MFS27

I LOVE Thai Iced Tea - thanks!

BTW - can you just use non-fat milk? I don't like splenda (so I think I could use agave nectar). Gotta try this out!!

What is the "real" stuff they use in the restaurants, etc.?

ligytha

The sweetened condensed milk substitute will work with agave nectar.
In Thailand, they use sweetened condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk mixed with cream, or evaporated milk, often with a little sugar. What your restaurants use will depend on how authentic they are. Evaporated milk is quite common for them I think since it is cheaper than sweetened condensed milk. Sweetened condensed milk is very popular in south-east Asia (they use it like jam on toast!). I'd consider either to be authentic. The sweetened condensed milk gives a little more sweetness and a bit of a tang. (Sweetened condensed milk is just evaporated whole milk with sugar added to it) Half and half, cream coffee-mate, or plain milk doesn't get the taste right and wouldn't be considered authentic.