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Ovaltine and Horlicks, the café way

Ovaltine and Horlicks, the café way

阿華田 · 好立克
Brewed and pouredDrinksBreakfastAfternoon teaDinnerHot or coldWeeknightKids like itEasyhands-on 3 min · start to finish 3 min

“Get the tea smooth and it is a real café.”

Ingredientsserves 1

雜貨舖Ovaltine· for the Ovaltine cup2 tbsp (about 20 g)
雜貨舖Horlicks· for the Horlicks cup, to 200 ml of water30 g
雜貨舖Sugar· the café way1 tbsp (12 g)
雜貨舖Evaporated milk· evaporated milk, the café way2 tbsp (30 ml)
雜貨舖Condensed milk· the home way, in place of the sugar and evaporated milk; and for 好立克走1 tbsp
街市Fresh milk· for a milkier Horlicks, if wantedabout 65 ml

Method

  1. The café way: put the powder and sugar in the cup, add a splash of hot water and stir to a smooth paste so it does not clump. 新假期 calls making Ovaltine the 'secondary-school entrance exam', harder than it looks; Horlicks clumps more readily still, so work the paste longer.
  2. Top up with hot water to two-thirds of the cup and stir.
  3. Add two tablespoons of evaporated milk. That is the thin, malty café cup.
  4. For Horlicks, 30 g of powder to 200 ml of water, with about 65 ml of milk if you want it milkier, which is the maker's proportion. 好立克走 is the same cup with condensed milk in place of the sugar and evaporated milk.
  5. The home way: two tablespoons of powder stirred up with a third of a cup of hot water, a third of a cup of cold water, and a tablespoon of condensed milk, which does the sweetening and the milk in one. The home cup is richer, and the children like it better and ask for the café one anyway.
  6. For 凍華田 make the paste with half the hot water, then cold water and ice. 雪山阿華田 is an iced Ovaltine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream floated on top.

Take care

  • Contains milk (evaporated, condensed and fresh). Both powders contain malted barley (gluten), which Australian labels declare, and Ovaltine declares soy; check the tub.

The story

阿華田 and 好立克 are the two British malt drinks the 冰室 put on its board beside the coffee and the tea, and they became the children's order at the 茶餐廳 and the cup at the bedside. Which of the two is better is a LIHKG thread with no end.

Same counter

Red bean iceHong Kong milk teaYuenyeung

Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.