This Milk Tea Tres Leches takes the classic Latin American dessert to new heights by infusing it with Hong Kong milk tea. Topped with whipped condensed milk cream and finished with crunchy milk crumble. It is one of my favorite creations.
You might also like Hojicha Purin or Matcha Gâteau Basque.
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What is Tres Leches?
Tres leches, also known as "pastel de tres leches", is a popular cake that originated in Latin America. The name "tres leches" translates to "three milks”, which are sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and milk. The combination of the three milks gives the cake a rich flavor and extremely moist and spongy texture. Tres leches is often topped with whipped cream. Sometimes, it may also be garnished with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, cocoa powder, or fresh fruit. Today I am making a Hong Kong milk tea version.
What is Hong Kong style milk tea?
Hong Kong milk tea is known for its strong black tea flavor and the rich silky texture. There are a few tips to make good Hong Kong milk tea.
- Mixed Tea (併茶): A blend of strong black tea leaves, often a mix of Ceylon and Assam varieties, is used to make Hong Kong milk tea.
- Tea Aeration (撞茶): Pouring tea from a height into a tea sock to stir the tea for a few times. This will incorporate the air into tea, also produce richer tea aroma.
- Milk: Hong Kong milk tea uses evaporated milk and condensed milk for the sweetness and creaminess.
- Ratio of 3 Milk for 7 Tea: The golden ratio of a cup of perfect Hong Kong milk tea is 3 to 7.
Ingredients in Milk Tea Tres Leches
- Tea - To get the closest Hong Kong milk tea flavor, I mix 3 different tea bags. And those include 4 kinds of tea, Indian Assam black tea, Ceylon black tea, Yunnan black tea and Pu’er tea.
- Milk - Whole milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk are all milk, but undergo different processing methods. I use the evaporated milk for the richness, condensed milk for the sweetness and whole milk to adjust the texture.
- Sugar - The sugar is only used in the sponge cake and milk crumble. Sugar can lock the small air bubbles in the meringue, helps strengthen the sponge cake’s light structure.
- Flour - All-purpose flour and cake flour both work here.
- Baking Powder - The carbon dioxide gas generated by the baking powder creates bubbles within the cake. The combination of meringue and baking powder results in a super airy sponge cake which is ideal to be soaked up with the milk.
- Heavy cream - Whipped cream is an important topping of Tres Leches. It softens the overall texture and balances out the sweetness of the milk soak.
- Dry Milk Powder - Dry milk powder gives the crumble that strong milk flavor I want for this cake.
- Corn Starch - Corn starch is used in milk crumble as part of the dry ingredients. You can substitute with flour, but the crumble will be more colored after baked.
- Butter - Melted butter adds moisture to the crumble. It glues the ingredients together, and creates the crumbly look.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make milk tea soak?
Take out all the tea leaf from tea bags. Bring the water to boil in a small sauce pan.
Add the tea leaf, and turn the fire to low. Simmer the tea for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover and let it infuse for 15 minutes. Stir the tea with a spoon clockwise for 10 seconds to aerate the tea leaf.
Strain out the tea leaf.
Mix the tea with condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk. Set aside.
How to make sponge cake for Milk Tea Tres Leches?
Preheat oven to 350°F. Separate the egg yolk from egg white.
Whisk egg yolk with approximately half of the granulated sugar until pale and it reaches the "ribbon stage” (When the batter drips onto itself, it forms a ribbon-like trail on the surface.)
Made meringue in another clean bowl. Whisk the egg white with the rest of the granulated sugar until stiff peak.
Fold the meringue into egg yolk gently in 3 times.
Sift the all-purpose flour and baking powder into the egg mixture.
Fold it gently until you don’t see any powder. At this point the cake batter looks thicker than before.
Add the milk, and fold the batter until you don’t see any liquid or separation.
Pour the cake batter into a quarter sheet tray with parchment paper. Spread with an offset spatula or a bench scraper.
Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until the cake bounces back when you gently pat the center. Flip the cake and remove the parchment paper.
How to make milk crumble?
Preheat oven to 275°F. Combine all the dry ingredients, dry milk powder, all-purpose flour, corn starch, sugar, salt.
Gradually add the melted butter and mix with a fork. Bake at 275°F for 10 minutes. Set aside.
How to assemble Milk Tea Tres Leches?
Whip the heavy cream with condensed milk until stiff peak. Set aside.
Place the sponge cake back to a clean tray. Poke some holes on the cake with a fork.
Slowly pour the milk tea over the cake, making sure to pour near the edges and all around. I use about 600ml (2.5 cups) milk tea soak for a cake.
Put the whipped condensed milk cream on top and sprinkle some milk crumble. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour to allow it to soak up the milk tea.
Equipment
A hand mixer or stand mixer is definitely recommended for whisking egg yolk, making meringue and whipping cream.
When flatten the cake batter, I like to use a medium offset spatula.
Storage
Store the leftover tres leches in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. The milk crumble may get soft over time, so the best way is sprinkle it before serving.
This cake is also great for making ahead. You can freeze the sponge cake until assembling. You can also freeze the whole assembled cake, and it still tastes good after thawing in the fridge.
Recipe Tips
Brew Strong Tea! Brew a concentrated and strong cup of milk tea. The selection of tea leaf is flexible, but remember, the cake will absorb the tea. A robust brew ensures the tea flavor shines through after soaking.
Always add more milk soak than you think! A properly-baked sponge cake can hold lots of liquid. If you still don’t know how much milk soak you need, try the “fork test.” (check Recipe FAQ)
Recipe FAQ
Use a fork to test if you add enough milk or not. Gently press the sponge cake. You should see the milk oozes out. Once you release the fork, the cake should soak up the milk again.
Yes, you can experiment with plant-based milk alternatives. You can use plant-based creamer, coconut milk and coconut cream for the rich creamy flavor.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe Card
Milk Tea Tres Leches
Equipment
Ingredients
Hong Kong Milk Tea (This amount is enough for the milk soak and 2 cups of milk tea!)
- 800 g water (a little less than 3 ½ cups)
- 40 g tea leaf scaled with tea bags
- 158 g condensed milk (½ cup)
- 120 g evaporated milk (½ cup)
- 120 g whole milk (½ cup)
Sponge Cake
- 4 egg
- 160 g granulated sugar
- 108 g all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 100 g whole milk
Milk Crumble
- 60 g dry milk powder
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g corn starch
- 15 g granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 56 g unsalted butter melt
Condensed Milk Cream
- 480 g heavy cream (2 cup)
- 158 g condensed milk (½ cup)
Instructions
Make Milk Tea Soak
- Boil: Take out all the tea leaf from tea bags. Bring the water to boil in a small sauce pan.
- Brew: Add the tea leaf, and turn the fire to low. Simmer the tea for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover and let it infuse for 15 minutes.
- Aerate: Stir the tea with a spoon clockwise for 10 seconds to aerate the tea leaf.
- Mix: Strain out the tea leaf and mix the tea with condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk. Set aside.
Make sponge cake
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Separate the egg yolk from egg white.
- Whisk: Whisk egg yolk with approximately half of the granulated sugar until pale and it reaches the "ribbon stage” (When the batter drips onto itself, it forms a ribbon-like trail on the surface.)
- Whisk: Made meringue in another clean bowl. Whisk the egg white with the rest of the granulated sugar until stiff peak.
- Fold: Fold the meringue into egg yolk gently in 3 times.
- Sift: Sift the all-purpose flour and baking powder into the egg mixture. Fold it gently until you don’t see any powder. At this point the cake batter looks thicker than before.
- Fold: Add the milk, and fold the batter until you don’t see any liquid or separation.
- Spread: Pour the cake batter into a quarter sheet tray with parchment paper. Spread with an offset spatula or a bench scraper.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until the cake bounces back when you gently pat the center. Flip the cake and remove the parchment paper.
Make milk crumble
- Prep: Preheat oven to 275°F. Combine all the dry ingredients, dry milk powder, all-purpose flour, corn starch, sugar, salt.
- Mix: Gradually add the melted butter and mix with a fork.
- Bake: Bake at 275°F for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Assemble Milk Tea Tres Leches
- Whip: Whip the heavy cream with condensed milk until stiff peak. Set aside.
- Poke: Place the sponge cake back to a clean tray. Poke some holes on the cake with a fork.
- Pour: Slowly pour the milk tea over the cake, making sure to pour near the edges and all around. I use about 600ml (2.5 cups) milk tea soak for a cake.
- Top: Put the whipped condensed milk cream on top and sprinkle some milk crumble.
- Chill: Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour to allow it to soak up the milk tea.
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