English Breakfast Recipe

Assemble tools

Gather the kettle, teapot (or a heatproof vessel), infuser/strainer, two mugs, a teaspoon, and a timer so everything is within reach before you start heating water.

Pre-warm teapot/mugs

Pour a small amount (about 60 ml) of hot water from the kettle into the teapot and into each mug, swirl briefly, then discard. Warming the vessels stabilizes temperature during brewing and helps extract flavor evenly.

Fill and heat water

Fill the kettle with 480 ml fresh cold water. Heat to just-off-boil — for English Breakfast, aim for 95–100°C (203–212°F). If you don't have a thermometer, bring to a full boil.

If the kettle reaches a full boil, allow it to sit for about 10–20 seconds to drop slightly below a rolling boil (this avoids scorching the leaves while still delivering a robust brew).

Measure the leaves

Measure 2 teaspoons of loose-leaf English Breakfast per 240 ml (1 cup). For two cups (480 ml), use 4 teaspoons. Place the leaves into the teapot's infuser or directly into the teapot if you will strain later.

Start the steep

Once the water reaches temperature, pour it directly over the measured leaves in the teapot to fully saturate them. Fill to the 480 ml mark (or just to cover the leaves and the teapot capacity).

Time the steep

Set the timer for 3–5 minutes. Recommended: 4 minutes for a well-balanced, robust cup. Shorter (3 min) yields a lighter, brisk tea; longer (5 min) increases strength and bitterness — taste toward the end of the steep to decide.

Finish brewing

When the timer hits your chosen steep time, remove the infuser or pour the tea through a strainer into the mugs immediately to stop extraction. Leaving the leaves in will make the tea overly bitter.

Milk

If you take milk, add it after pouring the tea. Start with about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) per cup, then adjust to taste. Traditional English Breakfast accepts milk; avoid adding lemon if you've added milk (they do not pair well).

Sugar or sweetener

Add sugar or sweetener to taste. Start with 1 tsp per cup and modify according to preference. Stir gently to dissolve.

Lemon

If you prefer lemon instead of milk, serve with a thin slice of lemon and squeeze lightly. Do not combine lemon with milk.

Discard spent tea leaves (compost if possible) or empty the infuser. Rinse teapot, infuser/strainer, and mugs with warm water and let them air dry or dry with a clean cloth.

Wipe down the work area and put equipment away for the next brew.