On a recent hot weekend I spent a little time seeking inspiration for ways to utilise our teas and herbal infusions to make cold and refreshing drinks and here are a few ideas…
PEACH ICED TEA
Peach Iced Tea is a hugely popular drink in America, and made with fresh peaches, instead of peach flavouring, this is a hugely refreshing drink, and ideal for taking the edge off the heat in Summer! This recipe is to prepare the evening before use, to get everything chilled properly.
Ingredients:
- 200g granulated sugar
- 5 ripe peaches, 4 stoned and chopped, 1 sliced to serve
- 4 Gourmet or English Breakfast Teabags
- Small bunch fresh mint
Method:
STEP 1
Tip the sugar into a pan with 250ml water. Bring to the boil slowly, ensuring the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the chopped peaches and cook until very soft. Remove from the heat, mash the peaches with a fork, and leave to infuse for 1 hr.
STEP 2
Sieve the syrup through a fine sieve into a jug, mashing the fruit to release all the liquid. The syrup will keep in the fridge for one week.
STEP 3
Put the teabags in a large heatproof jug and pour over 2 litres boiling water. Leave to steep for 4 mins, then carefully remove the teabags. Leave to cool, then transfer to the fridge until chilled.
STEP 4
Stir the peach syrup into the iced tea with some ice or pour a little of the syrup into tall glasses and add the tea. Top up with more water, (you can also use sparkling water) or ice. Add peach slices and a sprig of mint to serve.
HIBISCUS COOLER
Easy to make and deliciously cooling and reviving, this hibiscus Cooler has only two ingredients, and contains no sugar (unless you opt to use honey)!
Ingredients:
- 10g whole dried hibiscus sepals
- Crushed ice
- Clear Honey (optional)
Method
STEP 1
Boil a kettle of water, then leave for around 1 min to cool to around 90C. Put the flowers in a jug, pour 500ml of the water over the flowers, then leave to infuse for 16 mins. This is the optimum time and temperature for extracting the beneficial antioxidants.
STEP 2
Strain into glasses over ice and sweeten with a little honey, if you prefer a sweeter drink.
CITRUS ICED TEA
Many of our teas are complimented if served with a slice of lemon, instead of milk. This is true particularly of speciality teas, and the use of our English Breakfast Tea Temples brings a quintessentially English twist to a classic recipe.
Ingredients:
- 6 Large Leaf English Breakfast Tea Temples
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 10 sprigs mint
- 300ml fresh orange juice
- The juice of 1 lime
- 1⁄2 sliced orange, mint leaves, and ice to serve
Method:
STEP 1
Make the tea with 1.2 litres water. Add the sugar and mint to the mixing bowl and infuse for 10 mins, stirring gently. Strain whilst decanting and chill overnight in the fridge once the brew has cooled fully.
STEP 2
Pour into a jug, stir in the juices and serve in tall glasses garnished with orange slices, mint and plenty of ice
MINT AND MANGO ICED GREEN TEA
Green Teas are delicious when cold, although some people can find them a little astringent. This Mint and Mango Iced Tea Recipe uses our Gunpowder Tea, or perhaps our Japanese Sencha or Tie Guan Yin if you’re feeling extravagant!
Ingredients:
- 1 mango, peeled, stoned, and chopped
- 100g granulated sugar
- 4 tsp Gunpowder Green Tea
- Small bunch fresh mint
- 1 lime, sliced
- Ice
Method:
STEP 1
Put half the mango in a saucepan with the sugar and 100ml water. Cook for 8-10 mins then strain through a sieve and leave the liquid to cool.
STEP 2
Meanwhile, pour 500ml boiling water into a large heatproof jug and add the green tea leaves. Leave to steep for 5 mins, then strain into a large glass jug and add 300ml cold water. Leave to cool completely then put into the fridge to chill.
STEP 3
Once cold, add the strained mango syrup to the chilled tea, along with the rest of the chopped mango, fresh mint, and the lime slices. Fill up the jug with ice, stir gently and serve.
