Black Tie Camp Coffee
Thai spiced tea and strong coffee in one cup, sweetened with condensed milk from a tube.
- calories
- 320
- weight
- 3.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 91
- protein
- 5 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 3 min
- cook
- 4 min
- total time
- 7 min
- water
- 350 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Drink
- Canister stove
- Campfire coals
- Liquid fuel
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Canoe / raft
- Vegetarian
- Gluten free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Grab and go
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Thai spiced tea bags | 2 bags | black tea with star anise and cardamom; loose tea in a filter bag also works |
|---|---|---|
| Instant espresso powder | 2 tsp | or a double-strength scoop of dark roast instant |
| Sweetened condensed milk | 2 tbsp | squeeze tube, not a can, unless you plan to finish the can |
| Sugar | 1/2 tbsp | |
| Powdered whole milk | 2 tbsp | stands in for the half and half float |
| Ice or cold creek water | as available | cooler only; skip it and drink this hot |
Method
- Boil 250 ml of water. Steep both tea bags four minutes with the sugar stirred in, then pull the bags.
- Set the tea aside to cool. In a cup or jar, dissolve the espresso powder in 100 ml of hot water.
- Whisk the powdered milk into 3 tbsp of cool water in a small bottle. Shake until it is smooth and thick.
- If you have ice, fill the cup two thirds. Spoon the condensed milk into the bottom, pour the espresso over it, then float the tea on top.
- Add the reconstituted milk last and do not stir. It sinks in threads and sweetens the cup as you drink down.
This is a Thai iced coffee scaled down to a camp kitchen. The original wants brewed espresso, fresh half and half, and a can of condensed milk, none of which survive a weekend without a fridge. Instant espresso and powdered whole milk cover both, and the condensed milk moves into a squeeze tube so you are not carrying an open can around.
The layering is not decoration. Condensed milk is dense enough to sit under the coffee, and the reconstituted milk poured last is light enough to sink slowly instead of mixing, so the first sips are bitter tea and the last are sweet. Stir it and you get one flat sweet cup, which is fine, just not the point.
Packing
Tea bags, espresso powder, sugar, and milk powder go in one small bag. The condensed milk tube rides upright in a side pocket; it leaks if it gets punctured under a pot.
Variations
- No cooler: brew both halves, let them cool in the shade, and drink it warm. Same flavor, no layers.
- A pinch of cardamom and a broken star anise pod in the steep sharpens plain black tea into something close to the real base.
https://cornercoffeestore.com/black-tie-coffee-recipe