Based off a reel posted by the popular Thai tea brand Cha Tra Mue, this recipe for coconut water with whipped Thai tea (sorry, it's not dalgona) is a lightly sweet beverage perfect for cooling down on hot days.

Short ice-filled glass on a white surface against a black background. The glass contains 75% clear liquid (coconut water) and is topped with bright orange whipped Thai tea.

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Iced coconut water with whipped Thai tea

Come this time of year I'm pulling out all my drink notes from my travels East (where the drinks culture is immense), planning (hoping) for hot days to come, for that refreshing feeling of consuming a near glacial quencher while sweat beads on my forehead.

Air conditioning is uncommon in homes here in the UK, which means when the temperature soars our house can turn into a 30C+ (86F) hot box. I often skip lunch on such days, a consequence of the appetite suppressing effects of heat and humidity. Buuuut two things I'll never turn down are ESEA cold dessert soups and/or sweet iced beverages.

Like many drinks in ESEA countries (think boba and beyond) this coconut water with Thai tea whipped cream kind of straddles the line between snack and beverage. It's easy to make, comes together quickly, and requires minimal ingredients.

If you can't find the Oatly whipping cream, Elmlea plant and Flora double creams will also work. Avoid The Coconut Collaborative double cream, which doesn't whip despite its claims to do so (it's been a year since I last tried it, so apologies if they've improved the formula to meet their claims).

Print Recipe

Iced coconut water with whipped Thai tea

Ratios are more important here than glass size, so if you can't be arsed to figure out the volume of your drinkware then follow this basic rule: fill your glass with ice and then pour enough coconut water to fill about ¾ of the glass. Top with a few tablespoons of the Thai tea whipped cream (you can always add more).

Servings: 4 glasses

Equipment

electric whisk

Ingredients

Whipped Thai tea (makes 3-4 glasses)

2 teaspoons Thai tea 4 grams
50 millilitres boiling water
60 millilitres Oatly whipping cream Â¼ cup
3 tablespoons powdered sugar 30 grams
pinch salt

Per glass (13 oz/37cl)

150 grams ice
120-130 millilitres coconut water Â½ cup ish
A few tablespoons Thai tea whip

Instructions

First make the tea. Combine the Thai tea with the boiling water and leave to steep until cooled. Use a small fine mesh sieve or fine muslin to strain the tea into a large bowl, pressing the tea with a spoon to extract as much liquid as you can. You should get around 40 millilitres of liquid out.
Add the vegan whipping cream, powdered sugar, and salt to the bowl with the Thai tea and use an electric whisk to whip for a minute or two, until fluffy.
Add ice to a 37cl (16 oz) glass. Pour in the coconut water and top with a few tablespoons of whipped Thai tea.