Ice Tea Recipe
Make Ice Tea Recipe in just 1h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Tea Base
Sweetener
Citrus and Flavoring
Optional Variations
Method
Tea Base
Steep tea
Remove water from heat. Add 4 black tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose black tea in an infuser) to the hot water. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes for a standard strength, 7 minutes for stronger flavor. Avoid steeping more than 8 minutes to prevent bitterness.
Remove tea
Remove tea bags or strain out loose tea. Press gently on tea bags with a spoon to extract flavor, but avoid squeezing too hard to prevent bitterness.
Cool slightly
Let the brewed tea cool for 10–15 minutes at room temperature while you prepare the simple syrup and lemon juice. This helps avoid diluting the syrup when mixed.
Sweetener
Make simple syrup
Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar fully dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. This yields a clear simple syrup that blends into cold tea without graininess.
Sweeten the tea
Stir about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the cooled simple syrup into the warm-cooled tea, tasting as you go. Adjust to your preferred sweetness. If you prefer unsweetened iced tea, skip this step.
Citrus and Assembly
Add lemon juice
Stir in 1 cup fresh lemon juice into the sweetened tea. Taste and adjust: add up to 1/4 cup more lemon juice for a brighter profile, or reduce to 1/2 cup for milder citrus.
Chill
Transfer the tea to a pitcher. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1–2 hours. For faster cooling, place the pitcher in an ice bath in the sink for 15–20 minutes.
Prepare glasses
Place ice (about 1/2 cup per serving) into individual glasses. Add a couple of fresh mint leaves and a lemon slice to each glass if desired.
Optional Variations
Peach iced tea
Add 1 cup sliced fresh peaches or 1/2 cup peach puree to the pitcher before chilling. Muddle gently or stir to combine. Adjust simple syrup down if peaches add sweetness.
Citrus blend
Stir 1 tablespoon orange juice into the pitcher for a rounder citrus note. Taste and adjust lemon/orange balance as preferred.