Restaurants›Mike Anderson's - Gonzales›Tea (sweet Or Unsweet) Recipe

Tea (sweet Or Unsweet) Recipe

Inspired by Mike Anderson's - Gonzales
Time15m
Serves4

Make Tea (sweet Or Unsweet) Recipe in just 15m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Tea base

Milk (optional, for milk tea)

Sweetener (optional)

Flavorings (optional)

Method

Brew tea

1

Bring water to a boil

Pour 4 cups cold water into a small saucepan or kettle and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.

2

Steep tea

Remove the water from heat and add 4 black tea bags (or 2 teaspoons loose tea in an infuser). Cover and steep 3–5 minutes for a standard-strength cup. Steep 6–8 minutes for a stronger, more robust tea. Do not oversteep more than 8 minutes to avoid excessive bitterness.

3

Remove tea leaves

Remove tea bags or strain out loose tea. Gently press bags against the side of the pot with a spoon for extra strength if desired, then discard bags/tea leaves.

Make sweet or unsweet (choose)

4

Unsweetened (plain hot tea)

Pour the brewed tea into cups and serve hot as is. Add lemon slice or a mint sprig if desired from the Flavorings section.

5

Sweetened hot tea (with granulated sugar)

While tea is hot, stir in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar until fully dissolved. Taste and adjust: add up to 1 tablespoon more if you prefer sweeter tea.

6

Sweetened hot tea (with honey)

While tea is hot, stir in 2 teaspoons honey until dissolved. Honey will add floral notes; adjust to taste.

7

Sweetened tea with simple syrup (cold or iced tea)

If making iced tea or a chilled sweet tea, dissolve 2 tablespoons simple syrup into the hot brewed tea (simple syrup mixes easily and won’t recrystallize when cooled).

Make milk tea (optional)

8

Warm milk

If you prefer milk tea, warm 1 cup milk on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot but not boiling (about 1–2 minutes).

9

Combine tea and milk

Pour about 3/4 cup brewed tea into a cup and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup warm milk depending on desired creaminess. For a stronger milk tea, use a 1:1 ratio of tea to milk. Stir to combine.

10

Sweeten milk tea

If sweetening, add sugar, honey, or simple syrup while the mixture is hot so the sweetener dissolves completely. Start with 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon sugar or 1–2 teaspoons honey and adjust to taste.

Flavorings and finish

11

Add lemon or mint

For a bright finish, add 1–2 slices of lemon to the cup or a sprig of fresh mint. Note: do not add lemon to milk tea (it can curdle the milk).

12

Cinnamon option

If using a cinnamon stick, add it to the water while bringing to a boil and steep with the tea for a warm spiced note. Remove with the tea bags when finished steeping.

13

Iced tea (optional)

To make iced tea, allow brewed tea to cool slightly, sweeten if desired (use simple syrup for best results), then pour over a glass filled with ice. Garnish with lemon or mint.