Organic Earl Grey Recipe

Warm equipment

Bring fresh filtered water to a near-boil (about 200–205°F / 93–96°C). Pour the optional extra hot water into your teapot or cup to warm it, swirl for 10–15 seconds, then discard the warming water.

Place 2 tsp organic black tea leaves into an infuser, teapot, or directly into the cup. If you have separate dried bergamot pieces or just a neutral black tea and bergamot oil, add 1/4 tsp bergamot pieces or a few drops of bergamot-flavored tea blend to the leaves and gently stir to combine so the citrus aroma is evenly distributed.

Pour and steep

Pour 8 oz (240 ml) of the near-boiling water over the tea leaves. Cover the teapot or cup to trap aroma and steep for 3–4 minutes for a bright, balanced Earl Grey. For a stronger, more robust cup, steep 4–5 minutes; for a lighter cup, steep 2–3 minutes. Avoid steeping longer than 5 minutes to prevent excessive bitterness.

Remove the infuser or strain the leaves from the tea into a cup. Taste the tea plain first to judge strength and bergamot intensity.

If desired, add 1 tsp sweetener and stir until dissolved. Add 1 tbsp milk to make a creamier Earl Grey (or more to taste). Alternatively, add a lemon slice for a bright citrus finish; do not add lemon and milk together as lemon can curdle milk.

Serve immediately. If preparing multiple cups, scale ingredients proportionally (2 tsp tea per 8 oz water).