Basic Iced Tea Recipe

There are few things as satisfying as serving a flask of iced tea, made from scratch.

• 4 to 6 rooibos teabags
• 1 litre of boiling water
• Vanilla or cinnamon (optional)
• 500 ml fruit juice of your choice
• Honey to taste

Brew the tea as you normally would (for approximately 5 minutes). Should you wish to add the optional essence and spices, boil the tea on the stove for an extra two minutes so the flavours can marry. Stir in the fruit juice and honey, and leave to cool. Place in the fridge to chill completely. Serve over ice and garnish with fruit.

To ensure that your iced tea is absolutely mouth-watering, be sure to follow these tips:

• Don’t let the tea brew for too long as this can make the tea taste bitter. If you want stronger tea, use more tea bags.
• Don’t skimp on tea bags. Flavours in colder drinks tend to get weaker, so you’re going to need more tea bags than you’d normally use to brew a pot of tea.
• Add the sugar when the tea is still hot as it will dissolve better.
• Don’t put the hot tea in the fridge to cool, as this will make the colour go dull. Instead, place it somewhere out of the way to cool first before refrigerating.
• Don’t make the iced tea too far in advance – two days, max.

Original images and their credits available on Pinterest