The Rules For Pairing Tea With Sweet (And Not Too Sweet) Desserts, According To An Expert

Ever wonder what a tea expert's favorite pairings for desserts are? Tasting Table sat down and chatted with Elle Liu, founder of Theoró, and picked her brain, asking her to uncover the rules for pairing tea with sweet and not too sweet desserts. Liu enthuses, "There are so many beautiful pairings — tea is incredibly versatile and often enhances dessert far more subtly than wine." It's more about finding balance in flavors and pleasing one's palate than setting hard rules. But Liu does want to guide you. She recommends you consider teas that can slice through richness when it comes to rich desserts like anything made with chocolate or cream. She explains, "Heavily oxidized oolong teas, like Wuyi Cliff Tea (Wu Yi Yan Cha) or Phoenix in Solitary Blossom (Feng Huang Dan Cong), are perfect with rich desserts."

Wuyi Cliff Tea has layered flavors of dark cocoa, dried fruit, and roasted nuts. "It cuts through creamy textures beautifully," Liu states. This tea also has smoky notes. Tea makers process and roast the leaves over charcoal after plucking them from the nutrient-dense soils of the Wuyi Mountains in China. So, if you're having sweet ice cream, tres leches cake, or decadent tiramisu, pair those desserts with a hot cup of Wuyi Cliff Tea. 

If you're enjoying cheesecake, however, Liu specifically recommends the Phoenix in Solitary Blossom. As she states, "[it] is floral and lightly roasted, with an orchid-like fragrance and a hint of stone fruit. It adds brightness and lift to a rich cheesecake, like a whisper of nectar beside every bite."

Now, before you dig into a dessert that is quite sweet, like a pecan pie or baklava, consider pairing it with a slightly savory tea. In this case, Liu recommends trying black teas, like Lapsang Souchong (Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong). She explains, "Lapsang's subtle smokiness can balance sweetness with a more savory contrast — think smoked salt with caramel."

But what about when you're having not-too-sweet desserts, such as mooncakes, mochi, and nutty shortbread? Liu has a recommendation for you as well. Think lighter, gentler teas, like green or white teas. Teas that are too dark and robust in flavor may overpower these desserts. She states, "Aged white tea — particularly Willow's Grace... It's gentle and grounding, with the kind of quiet complexity that lingers after the last bite." Beautiful words of wisdom to take to heart, as pairing the right cup of tea with your sweets doesn't just complement the dessert. Like magic, it transforms sweets.