Breakfast Tea Recipe

Heat water

Fill a kettle or saucepan with about 8 fl oz (1 cup) of fresh cold water. Bring to a rolling boil (100°C / 212°F). Using freshly boiled water is important for extracting full flavor from black tea.

Warm pot or mug

While the water heats, pre-warm the teapot or mug by rinsing with a little of the hot water and then discarding that water. This keeps the brewed tea from cooling too quickly.

Measure tea

Place 2 teaspoons of black tea leaves into your teapot or into an infuser placed in a mug. For stronger tea, increase to 1 tablespoon (3 tsp).

Pour water and steep

Pour the boiling water over the tea leaves so they are fully submerged. Cover the teapot or place a saucer over the mug to trap heat. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes: 3 minutes for a lighter cup, 4 minutes for typical strength, 5 minutes for a robust brew. Avoid steeping longer than 5 minutes to prevent excessive bitterness.

Remove leaves

When the steep time is up, remove the infuser or strain the tea into a cup to separate the leaves from the liquid. Do not leave loose leaves sitting in the brewed tea.

Add milk or lemon (optional)

If using milk, add about 2 tablespoons to the cup and stir. If sweetening, add 1 teaspoon sugar or honey to taste and stir until dissolved. If you prefer lemon, skip the milk and squeeze a lemon wedge to taste (add lemon only to tea without milk).

Taste and adjust

Taste the tea and adjust strength or additions: add another 1/2 tsp sugar or a splash more milk if desired. Serve immediately while hot.