Iced Tea Recipe

Bring water to a boil

Bring 1 liter of water to a rolling boil in a kettle or saucepan.

Steep tea

Place 4 black tea bags (or the loose-leaf equivalent in an infuser) in a heatproof pitcher. Pour the boiling water over the tea. Cover and steep for 5 minutes for a standard-strength iced tea; steep up to 7 minutes for stronger flavor. Avoid steeping longer than 8 minutes to prevent excessive bitterness.

Remove tea bags

Remove the tea bags or strain out the leaves, pressing gently against the side of the infuser with a spoon to extract flavor but not squeeze bitter tannins.

If using granulated sugar: dissolve 4 tablespoons sugar in 2 tablespoons hot water to make a quick syrup. Stir the hot sugar solution into the warm brewed tea until fully dissolved. If using simple syrup (recommended for even sweetness), stir in 60 ml of simple syrup directly. Taste and adjust sweetness to your preference.

Slice the lemon (and orange if using) into wheels or half-wheels. Squeeze one or two lemon slices into the warm tea for brightness, then add remaining slices to the pitcher for infusion. Clap or gently bruise the mint leaves between your palms to release oils, then add to the warm tea to steep for a few minutes for aroma.

Add 600 ml cold or chilled water to the warm tea to bring it to serving strength and temperature. Stir to combine.

Place the pitcher in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30–45 minutes, or until cold. For immediate serving, pour the tea over a tall glass filled with ice cubes.

Serve: Fill glasses with ice (about 1 cup per glass). Pour the chilled tea over the ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon wheel or sprig of mint if desired.