Drinks Recipe
Make Drinks Recipe in just 45m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Classic Iced Lemon Tea
Honey Ginger Sparkler (Non-Alcoholic)
Vanilla Iced Cold Brew Coffee
Method
Classic Iced Lemon Tea
- 1
Brew the tea
Place 4 black tea bags in a heatproof pitcher. Pour 4 cups of boiling water over the tea bags and steep for 5 minutes for a full-bodied brew, or 3 minutes for a lighter tea.
- 2
Sweeten while hot
Remove and discard the tea bags, gently pressing to extract flavor. While tea is still hot, stir in 4 tablespoons granulated sugar until fully dissolved.
- 3
Add lemon and dilute
Stir in 1 cup fresh lemon juice and 2 cups cold water to the sweetened tea. Taste and adjust: add more water if too strong or more sugar if needed.
- 4
Chill and serve
Refrigerate the tea until cold, about 30–45 minutes, or serve immediately over a pitcher filled with 6 cups of ice. Garnish with lemon slices and mint leaves if using. Serve in tall glasses with ice.
Honey Ginger Sparkler (Non-Alcoholic)
- 5
Make ginger syrup
Combine 2 inches sliced fresh ginger and 2 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes to extract flavor.
- 6
- 7
Finish sparkler
In a pitcher or individual glasses, combine the cooled ginger-honey syrup with 1/2 cup fresh lime juice and 3 cups chilled sparkling water. Add 4 cups of ice and gently stir to combine. Taste and add more honey or lime if desired.
- 8
Serve
Pour into glasses, garnish with lime slices and a sprig of mint if desired. Serve immediately so the sparkle remains.
Vanilla Iced Cold Brew Coffee
- 9
Make cold brew concentrate
Combine 1 cup coarsely ground coffee with 4 cups cold filtered water in a large jar or pitcher. Stir to ensure grounds are fully saturated. Cover and steep in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 12–18 hours (longer for stronger concentrate).
- 10
Strain the concentrate
After steeping, strain the coffee through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a clean container. Repeat if needed to remove all sediment. You should have roughly 3–4 cups of cold brew concentrate.
- 11
Sweeten and assemble
Fill serving glasses with ice (about 4 cups across glasses). For each 1-cup serving, mix 1/4 cup vanilla simple syrup with 3/4 cup cold brew concentrate, then top with 1/4 cup milk or milk alternative. Stir gently to combine. Adjust sweetness or milk to taste.
- 12
Garnish and serve
Optionally sprinkle 1 teaspoon coffee grounds lightly on top for aroma (do not consume the grounds). Serve immediately.
