Peony & Citrus Iced Tea Recipe
Make Peony & Citrus Iced Tea Recipe in just 1h 15m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Tea Base
Citrus & Sweetener
Aromatics & Finish
Method
Tea Base
Boil and steep
Bring 8 cups of fresh cold water to a near boil (about 200°F / 93°C). Remove from heat and add 4 green tea bags and 2 tablespoons of peony tea leaves. Cover and steep for 4 minutes for a light, floral base; steep up to 6 minutes for a stronger flavor. Avoid oversteeping to prevent bitterness.
Strain
After steeping, remove tea bags and strain out loose leaves through a fine mesh sieve. Transfer the tea to a heatproof pitcher and allow to cool for 10–15 minutes at room temperature.
Citrus & Sweetener
Make citrus-sweet syrup
While the tea cools, combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon honey with 2 tablespoons (approx.) of the warm tea in a small bowl or jar. Stir until fully dissolved to make a thin syrup. Add 1 ounce fresh lemon juice and 2 ounces fresh orange juice to the syrup and stir to combine.
Combine with tea
Pour the citrus-sweet syrup into the cooled tea and stir well. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity: add an additional 1 teaspoon sugar or a splash more lemon/orange juice if desired.
Add citrus slices
Add 6 lemon slices and 6 orange slices into the pitcher to infuse fresh citrus aroma and make the beverage visually appealing.
Aromatics & Finish
Add peony petals and mint
Stir in 1 teaspoon dried edible peony petals (or a small handful of fresh petals) and 8 fresh mint leaves. Clap the mint leaves between your palms before adding to release their aroma.
Chill
Refrigerate the pitcher for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 hours, to let flavors meld. For immediate service, fill glasses with ice and proceed to assemble (see next step), but for best flavor chill first.
Serve
Fill 4–6 tall glasses with about 1 cup of ice each. Pour the chilled tea into glasses, leaving room for optional sparkling water. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice, an orange slice, and a sprig of fresh mint. If you prefer a fizzy finish, top each glass with about 2–3 tablespoons (≈0.25 cups total remaining) of sparkling water per serving.
Adjustments & storage
Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity before serving. Leftover tea will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; add fresh mint and citrus slices just before serving for the best appearance.