Huisgemaakte Iced Tea Recipe

Brew the tea

Bring 1.5 l of water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add 6 black tea bags (or the equivalent loose-leaf tea in an infuser). Steep for 5 minutes for a balanced strength, 7 minutes for stronger flavor. Avoid over-steeping more than 8 minutes to prevent bitterness.

After steeping, remove the tea bags or strain out the leaves, gently pressing the bags against the side of the pot with a spoon to extract flavor without squeezing out excessive bitter compounds.

Make simple syrup-like sweetener

If you want sweetened iced tea, combine 100 g granulated sugar with 60 ml hot water in a heatproof container and stir until fully dissolved to make a concentrated syrup. Taste and adjust: use less sugar for lightly sweetened tea, more for sweeter. Let cool slightly before adding to hot tea.

If you prefer an unsweetened beverage, skip this step and omit the sugar from the ingredients.

Prepare citrus and mint

While the tea is still warm, zest a little lemon (optional) and then juice the lemon. If using half an orange, thinly slice half an orange. Lightly bruise the mint leaves by clapping them between your palms or gently muddling to release aroma.

Add the lemon juice and optional lemon zest to the hot tea so the citrus blends in. If using the simple syrup, add it now and stir to combine.

Dilute and chill

Pour the brewed tea into a heatproof pitcher. Add 500 ml cold water to bring the temperature down and adjust strength (taste and add more water if desired). Let the pitcher cool to room temperature for 15–20 minutes.

Refrigerate the pitcher for at least 1 hour, or until thoroughly chilled. For faster cooling, place the pitcher in an ice bath or add 1–2 cups of ice directly and allow to melt slightly, then top up with additional cold water if needed.

Serve

Fill glasses with ice cubes. Add fresh mint leaves and a slice of lemon or orange to each glass. Pour the chilled iced tea over the ice. Taste and, if desired, stir in more simple syrup or a squeeze of lemon per glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a citrus wheel.