Thai Iced Tea Cooler with Coconut Cream and Star Anise

Bring the water to a boil, add the Thai tea mix, star anise and cardamom, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes to draw out color and spice.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 4 tablespoons Thai tea mix (or 4 strong black tea bags plus 1/4 teaspoon vanilla)
• 3 whole star anise pods
• 2 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• Plenty of ice cubes
• 1 star anise pod, for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil, add the Thai tea mix, star anise and cardamom, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes to draw out color and spice.
2. Turn off the heat and let the tea steep for another 5 minutes for a deeper flavor.
3. Strain the tea through a fine sieve into a heatproof pitcher, discarding the leaves and spices.
4. While still warm, stir in the sugar and condensed milk until fully dissolved, then let the tea cool to room temperature.
5. Chill the tea in the refrigerator until very cold, at least 1 hour.
6. Fill tall glasses with ice and pour the cold spiced tea over, leaving room at the top.
7. Slowly float the coconut cream over the back of a spoon so it swirls down through the tea, garnish with a star anise pod, and stir before drinking.
8. Thai iced tea, or cha yen, is a fixture of Bangkok's sweltering street markets, where its glowing orange hue and creamy top make it instantly recognizable. This alcohol-free cooler swaps the usual evaporated milk for silky coconut cream to lean into the island-summer theme, and the whisper of star anise and cardamom echoes the aromatic spice blends that give authentic Thai tea its haunting perfume — a sweet, frosty pick-me-up for the hottest afternoons.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 180 kcal
• Protein: 3g
• Fat: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 26g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 24g
• Sodium: 45mg