What makes iced tea good?

What makes is so good is the intensity of flavours, perfect sweetness and lots of ice. Iced teas are typically sweetened, although you can drink them pure if they are not bitter. To get the best intensity, you need to find the best tea to water ratio.

Do you have to boil water to make iced tea?

Yes, it’s always best to make an iced tea by steeping tea leaves in boiled water first. If you don’t have too much ice, you can steep the tea beforehand and let it cool in the fridge. This is not the same as cold brewing.

Is cold brew tea the same as iced tea?

Cold brewing is a different method of preparing tea. Instead of using hot water, cold brewed teas are slowly steeped in cold water over several hours in the fridge. You don’t need any ice for cold brewing, or a kettle. Cold brewing will significantly change the flavour profile and nutrient content of brewed tea. Iced tea will have the same flavour profile as regularly brewed tea, except it tends to be stronger.

Tips for making the best iced tea

Making an iced tea at home is easy, but it’s not always straightforward. This is especially true if you are used to drinking pre-made teas. Pre-made iced teas may not always contain tea leaves and may also contain lots of sugar and fruit flavourings. All this will impact the flavour that won’t be easy to replicate at home. However, that’s perfectly ok, as you can make delicious, super flavourful drinks at home using ingredients you already have in your pantry.  

So, how to make the best tasting iced tea?

Here are the 9 simple tips.

1. Choose the right tea

You can use almost any tea you want. However, just like when making a cup of hot tea, if you want to get the best flavour, you have to have the best tea. Best tea doesn’t mean the most expensive tea, but it should be fresh and flavourful.

What tea is best for iced tea? Traditionally, this type of tea has been made with mostly tea bags. Tea bags are a good option if you want to add sugar or honey and prefer an intense flavour. Some traditional tea bags may give a murky and bitter tea. Test it out before. If it tastes good without a sweetener, it will be great for making an iced tea too.

Loose tea leaves, especially pure, will often have less bitterness, and a more complex flavour. Flavoured teas are an amazing choice as well.

But if you want to use pure teas, you can add flavour with:

• Food flavourings
• Steeping it with fresh fruits
• Fruit juices
• Fruit syrups

2. Make a strong infusion

To make the best cup of iced tea, use more leaves than normally. Adding only 50% more will intensify the flavour significantly. 1 ½ or 2 teaspoons of tea leaves per serving will give much more flavour than brewing it for 10 minutes. Over brewing may also increase the bitterness, while adding more tea leaves will intensify the flavour. Furthermore, as the ice melts, tea will become diluted. That’s why it’s always a good idea to add more tea leaves.

So what is the ratio of tea to water for iced tea?

If you are using:

• loose tea, use 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons of tea leaves per serving.
• traditional tea bags, use 1 or 2 tea bags, depending on their strength. Most tea bags will contain dust and fannings that will infuse into a strong tea, so one will be enough.
• pyramid tea bags with loose tea, you may need to add two, rather than one, depending on how many tea leaves they contain.

Use 120-150 ml of water for steeping the tea, then top up with fresh cold water later.

3. Don’t over brew it

Never over brew your tea when making an iced tea. Sure, both sugar and ice will reduce the bitterness, but ideally, you want a flavour that will taste good even without adding sweeteners. How long do you steep tea for iced tea? You can steep the tea leaves a minute or two longer than usual, but not more. This means, 4-6 minutes for black teas, and 3-5 minutes for green teas, 3-5 minutes for oolong teas and 5-10 minutes for herbal teas.

4. Add the right sweetener

If you want to make iced tea that will taste similar to drinks from supermarkets or restaurants, then you will need to add a sweetener.

White or brown sugar and floral honey are all great for sweetening iced tea. Always add sugar or honey before adding ice, so it can dissolve better. For making a calorie-free drink, you can use stevia or sugar alternatives. Iced teas are usually always sweetened.

Some sweeteners you can try:

• Honey
• White granulated sugar
• Brown granulated sugar
• Stevia (calorie free)
• Coconut flower sugar
• Simple syrup
• Flavoured sweeteners (calorie free)
• Xylitol (less calories than sugar)

5. Add more flavour with flavoured ice

You can add more flavour into your iced tea by adding flavoured ice or tea ice cubes. Because tea ice cubes are made with tea, they will not dilute your iced tea. Find the instructions for making iced tea cubes here.

Some wonderful combinations:

• Pure green tea with tropical green tea ice cubes
• Pure black tea with coconut black tea ice cubes
• Pure green tea with earl grey black tea ice cubes

6. Add citruses

Adding freshly squeezed lemon juice to green or black tea will always elevate the flavour. Lemon goes well with many tea types, but don’t add it to chocolate or nut flavoured teas. Other great citruses to add are oranges and limes.

7. Add fresh fruits

For a super fruity flavour, you can add washed and chopped fruit pieces, and steep them together with black or green tea for 5 minutes. Once ready, pour it into a glass, add sweetener and ice. Fresh fruits will make your black tea brighter and super flavourful, regardless of if you are using loose tea or tea bags.

8. Choose special iced tea blends

Many brands are offering special tea blends crafted specifically for making iced teas. These blends will have lots of flavour and usually smaller tea leaves. Although you can use any tea blend you want, special tea blends will usually always offer a desired strength and flavour. You can also use pre-made cold brew blends and brew them with hot water.

9. Use high-quality water

Water quality will significantly impact the flavour of any tea – hot or iced. Use colourless and odourless water that’s not too flat and not too hard. Avoid distilled water. Using tap water will usually be fine, unless it’s murky and smells of chemicals. If that’s the case, bottled spring water may be a better choice. Also, avoid re-heating the same water multiple times.

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How to make iced tea

The BEST homemade iced tea

Course Drinks

Keyword Iced Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• Kettle
• Serving glass

Ingredients

• 1/2 – 2 teaspoons loose tea leaves or 1-2 teabags
• 150 ml freshly boiled water
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar
• 50-100 ml fresh cold water

Instructions

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Measure 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons of tea leaves* and steep them in 150 of water.**
• Strain the tea into a serving glass.
• Add sweetener and stir until dissolved.
• Add ice.
• Top up with fresh cold water.

Notes

* If you want to make a whole pitcher rather than just a glass of iced tea, use at least 2 tablespoons of tea leaves per 500 ml of water, then top up with more cold water later. If you are using tea bags, add 4-6 tea bags per 500 ml of water, and top up with cold water later.

** Black tea – 4-5 minutes at 95-98 degrees Celsius
     Green tea – 3-5 minutes at 75-85 degrees Celsius
     Oolong tea – 3-5 minutes at 85-90 degrees Celsius
     Rooibos and other herbal teas – 5-10 minutes at98 degrees Celsius

The post How to make iced tea? appeared first on All That Tea.

Ingredients for making Peanut Butter and Jelly drink

Peanut butter: Peanut butter is a key ingredient in making this recipe. Rather than using a regular peanut butter, opt for the powder instead. Powder is not as greasy and melts really well in liquids. It’s available from Amazon and online fitness stores.

Fruits: you’ll need 100 grams of red currants, raspberries or strawberries or other fruits of your choice. Different fruits will have different levels of sweetness and sourness, so adjust the sugar content if needed. You want a sweet, rather than a sour flavour.

Agar agar: Agar agar is a vegan friendly alternative to gelatine, and it’s very easy to use. It can be used for thickening jams instead of pectin. Do not add too much as you want a jam rather than jelly consistency. Agar agar will set fast.

Black tea: Use a stronger black tea with toasty, nutty, chocolaty or malty notes. Assam tea will usually work great in this recipe. Other good choices are Yunnan black tea and regular breakfast blends. Loose tea will often offer a more refined flavour profile and less murkiness and bitterness. However, if you have good quality black tea in tea bags, you can use them too. Use 1 heaped teaspoon of loose tea or 1-2 tea bags, depending on the strength.   

Milk: Full fat or while milk is the best choice for making milk teas, as it will have a nicer texture than semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. Vegan friendly milk alternatives such as oat milk, almond milk or cashew milk all have a good flavour profile for this recipe.

Steps for making Peanut Butter Jelly milk tea

Make a jelly: To make a jelly, add fruits and water into a saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain after 15 minutes into a clean saucepan, to remove fruit chunks. Add sugar and simmer until it dissolves. Add agar agar and simmer for a few minutes.

Combine milk and peanut butter powder: In a saucepan, combine milk and peanut butter powder and simmer while stirring. Do not let it boil. You can use a frother to improve the texture but remove the froth before pouring it into a serving glass.  

Make the tea: Bring water to a boil and steep tea for 5 minutes in boiling water. Don’t over-steep it to avoid bitterness and murkiness. If you want to achieve a layered look, do not add any sugar to tea.

Assemble the drink: Start by adding a layer of jelly. Pour it while it’s still hot. Then add ice and pour milk with peanut butter powder. Add more ice if needed. Pour the tea straight onto ice.

Can I use regular jam instead of making it?

Yes, you can use regular jam. However, when making the bottom layer yourself, you’ll get a consistency that’s closer to a thick syrup. A bit of agar agar will thicken it further without the need to use too much sugar.

Can I add boba pearls to this milk tea?

If you want to turn this peanut butter and jelly drink into a boba tea, add jelly, rather than boba pearls. When making a jelly, simply add more agar agar and pour it into a mould. Once it sets, cut it into smaller cubes and add to the drink after adding milk with peanut butter and ice.

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Peanut Butter Jelly Iced Milk Tea

Homemade milk tea with peanut butter powder, black tea and jelly

Course Drinks

Keyword Black Tea, Dessert Tea, Jelly, Peanut Butter

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• saucepan
• Kitchen strainer
• Serving glass

Ingredients

• 1 heaped teaspoon black tea
• 2 heaped teaspoons peanut butter powder
• 150 ml water
• 150 ml milk
• 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
• 70 ml water or 100 if you want a higher layer
• 100 grams of red currants, raspberries or strawberries
• 3-4 teaspoons of sugar for jelly depending on how sweet the fruits are
• 1/8 teaspoon of agar agar

Instructions

• Wash the fruits and remove any stems or leaves.
• Add them into a saucepan together with 150 ml of water and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Strain into a clean saucepan, add sugar and simmer while stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Add agar agar and continue simmering for a few minutes.
• Pour it into a serving glass. Add about 30-50 ml, depending on the sweetness.
• Add ice.
• In a saucepan, combine milk and peanut butter and simmer until dissolved. Pour it into a serving glass.
• Bring water to a boil. Steep 1 heaped teaspoon of black tea in 70-100 ml of water for 5 minutes. Strain and pour into a serving glass, straight onto ice.
• Serve.

The post Peanut Butter Jelly Iced Milk Tea Recipe appeared first on All That Tea.

For other ways how to mix tea and coffee, check this article.

What is Dirty Matcha?

Dirty matcha is an iced tea made with matcha green tea powder and coffee. While the thought of mixing green tea and coffee may sound weird at first, it’s incredibly delicious. Both coffee and matcha have a strong flavour and some bitterness. Matcha is not as grassy as sencha, and more earthy than other green teas which makes it a great pair for a naturally bitter coffee.

Caffeine in Dirty Matcha

This drink contains more caffeine than a single espresso shot, as both ingredients, matcha and coffee, are naturally caffeinated. A shot of espresso will have around 60 mg of caffeine, same as matcha prepared with a teaspoon of matcha powder. 1/2 of matcha powder will be enough to make one serving, but feel free to use a whole teaspoon if you prefer a stronger flavour. To reduce the caffeine content, use decaf coffee.

Which coffee is the best for making Dirty matcha?

Dirty matcha is usually made with a shot of espresso. However, if you don’t have a coffee machine or you prefer other types of coffee, that’s perfectly fine too. You can replace regular espresso with 30-50 ml of instant coffee mad with 1 leveled teaspoon of coffee. Alternatively, you can even use flavoured coffee, such as hazelnut, chocolate, caramel or vanilla. The only thing to keep in mind is to use quality coffee that you enjoy drinking on its own too.  

Which matcha is the best for making Dirty matcha?

There are many types of matcha, and some are not matcha at all. Use either authentic Japanese matcha tea powder or alternatives that have a similar flavour and colour, such as Korean matcha. Your matcha should be vibrant, green, fresh and have a deep flavour with not too much bitterness. Avoid grey powders or expired teas. Both latte and ceremonial grade will be great for making this drink.

Can I use cold water/milk for making matcha?

Yes, you can. However, it’s always better to make matcha with hot water to achieve a deeper flavour and potentially better benefits. Since coffee has a strong flavour, making matcha with hot rather than cold water will give a better tasting drink.

How to make a vegan Dirty matcha?

For a vegan alternative, you can use any milk substitute you want. However, some may add additional flavour notes to your drink. To keep the original flavour, choose milk alternatives with a neutral flavours or cashew milk. The milk substitute that you are using should not be too watery. Choose barista style milks or milks that have around 50-70 kcal per 100 ml – they will usually have a better texture.

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Iced Dirty Matcha Recipe

Super tasty iced matcha with coffee

Course Drinks

Keyword Coffee, Green Tea, Iced Tea, Matcha

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• Kettle
• Electric whisk or chasen for making matcha
• Cup or bowl for making matcha
• Serving glass

Ingredients

• 50 ml of water
• ½ to 1 teaspoon of matcha powder
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 30 ml espresso shot or 30-50 ml instant coffee
• 1-2 teaspoons of sugar
• 150 ml of milk
• Ice

Instructions

• Bring water to a boil and let it cool to 85 degrees Celsius (185°F).
• Prepare a shot of espresso or use boiling water to make 50 ml of instant coffee. Add vanilla extract.
• Sift matcha powder into a bowl or larger cup and add 70 ml of water.
• Whisk it using an electric hand frother or chasen.
• Pour matcha into a serving glass.
• Add cold milk.
• Add sugar and stir well. If you want a layered drink, add sugar now. Do not add any sugar to coffee.
• Add ice.  
• Slowly pour coffee over ice, avoiding direct contact with the tea.
• If needed, add more ice and serve.

The post Dirty Matcha Iced Tea – Matcha with Coffee appeared first on All That Tea.

Why Pink Grapefruit?

Pink grapefruit is not an ingredient you’ll often find in tea blends, but it is a perfect citrus for making refreshing drinks. With the zesty and sweet flavour and light bitterness, it gives a more unique flavour than other citruses. Besides, there’s a pretty orange-pink colour too. And lastly, being a citrus, pink grapefruit will change the colour of blue pea tea into purple.  

Why Butterfly Pea Flower?

Butterfly pea flower tea is a caffeine-free tea with a beautiful blue colour and a very neutral taste. You can make it with citruses and other fruits, or milk and chocolaty ingredients. It’s a unique herbal tea that’s worth having in your tea cupboard.

Ingredients for making a Pink Grapefruit & Butterfly Pea Flower Iced Tea

Pink Grapefruit: You’ll need ½ – 1 pink grapefruit for making a pink grapefruit juice, depending on how sweet you want your tea to be. We recommend using a whole grapefruit and diving the juice into 2 servings.

Butterfly Pea Flowers: Butterfly pea flowers are available as whole dried flowers and as a powder. Use whole flowers for this recipe. You’ll need 10-15 whole flowers per serving. With this tea, it’s quite important to choose quality over the price as some lower-quality flowers may not be as blue.

Sugar: Sugar is a must for this recipe. You’ll need 2-3 spoons of sugar for making a grapefruit juice. Use regular granulated white sugar.  

Steps for making a Pink Grapefruit & Butterfly Pea Flower Iced Tea

Make blue tea: Butterfly pea flower tea is super easy o brew. You’ll need a cup, freshly boiled water and dried butterfly pea flowers. You don’t need a strainer because flowers are big enough to remove them using a teaspoon or a fork. Steep it for 5 minutes at 95-100 degrees Celsius. Don’t worry if you over-steep it, it won’t become bitter.

Make grapefruit juice: While the tea is steeping, start preparing a sweetened grapefruit juice. Squeeze the juice first using a citrus squeezer, then use a kitchen strainer or a cheesecloth to remove all seeds and pulp. Then add it into a small saucepan and add sugar. Simmer on low heat while stirring, until sugar fully dissolves. Once ready (after about 4-5 minutes), pour it into a serving glass and add ice. Adding sugar in this step is a must if you want to achieve a layered look.

Add butterfly pea flower tea: Slowly (important!) pour the tea into the serving glass. Pour it directly on the ice. The ice will melt, but you can easily add more ice later. Don’t stir the tea. Once you serve it, you can stir it just enough to change the colour and adjust the sweetness, and even top up with more butterfly pea flower without losing the whole pink grapefruit layer.  

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Pink Grapefruit & Butterfly Pea Flower Iced Tea

Super tasty 2 layered caffeine free iced tea

Course Drinks

Keyword Butterfly Pea Flower, Iced Tea, Pink Grapefruit

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• saucepan
• cup
• Serving glass

Ingredients

• 200 ml of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice . 1 big grapefruit
• 2-3 tablespoons of sugar 3 is better, but the juice will be sweet. If youlike less sweet teas, divide it into two servings
• 10-15 dried butterfly pea flowers
• 200 ml freshly boiled water to make blue tea
• Ice

Instructions

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Add butterfly pea flowers to a cup and add hot water. Steep for 5 minutes. Remove butterfly pea flowers from the cup.
• Squeeze grapefruit juice using a citrus squeezer and use a cheesecloth or a kitchen strainer to remove all seeds and pulp.
• Add grapefruit juice to a saucepan and add sugar. Simmer on lot heat until sugar dissolves for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool for a couple of minutes.
• Pour grapefruit juice into a serving glass.
• Add ice.
• Slowly pour blue tea into the serving glass, straight onto ice, avoiding direct contact with grapefruit juice.
• Add more ice if needed.
• Serve with a straw.

The post Pink Grapefruit & Butterfly Pea Flower Iced Tea appeared first on All That Tea.

What’s great about this recipe?

Matcha is undoubtedly one of the best teas for making iced drinks. It’s strong, vibrant and fresh, and may provide an energy boost and stress-relieving properties, and a myriad of other benefits. Not only may matcha provide an antioxidant boost (1), but thyme has that potential, too (2). Thyme is more often used in dishes, rather than drinks. However, when steeped, this aromatic earthy herb will win you over with its delicate but powerful flavour.

So, why lime? Lime is both sweet and sour, and able to balance out light bitterness of matcha exceptionally well.

Together, these ingredients make for a super tasty, refreshing, and aromatic iced tea that is worth trying.

Ingredients for making Iced Matcha with Lime & Thyme

Matcha tea: Choose only high-quality tea powders as not all matcha teas have a vibrant green colour. If your tea looks grey and dull and smells anything but fresh, do not use it. Fresh powder will not only taste better but provide better potential benefits. Use either ceremonial or latte/culinary grades.

Fresh thyme: Fresh thyme is readily available and gives a much better flavour than dried thyme. Even though the scent is strong, the flavour is extremely delicate and fresh. If you want to intensify the thyme flavour, you can gently crush sprigs using pestle and mortar.

Fresh limes: Fresh lime juice will add both sweetness and light sourness. Limes are a perfect condiment for iced teas, but are often overlooked. They pair really well with both matcha and thyme.

Sweetener: This recipe will work even without a sweetener. If you prefer adding some sweetness, white granulated sugar or light floral honey will both be great choices.

Steps for making Iced Matcha with Lime &Thyme

Prepare fresh thyme tea: To make this matcha iced tea as flavourful as possible, steep the thyme tea first. Use 3-5 fresh sprigs per cup of water.  

Prepare matcha tea: To make matcha tea you will use the thyme tea, rather than water. Always pre-sift matcha powder before adding water to prevent lumps. Although you can make matcha with cold water too, hot water is always a better choice. Read more here: Making Iced Matcha: How vs Cold Water tested.

Assemble the drink: To assemble the drink, fill a serving glass with ice. Add matcha tea, the rest of thyme tea and freshly squeezed lime juice.

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Iced Matcha with Lime & Thyme

Aromatic and refreshing iced matcha

Course Drinks

Keyword Iced Tea, Lime, Matcha, Thyme

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• bowl or cup for making matcha
• cup for making thyme tea
• chasen or electric hand whisk
• Serving glass

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lime – juice
• 1-2 teaspoons of sugar
• 250 ml of water
• 3-5 springs of fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon of matcha powder
• ice

Instructions

• Wash fresh thyme sprigs.
• Steep them for 5 minutes in a freshly boiled water.
• Remove thyme sprigs and save them for decoration.
• Sift matcha powder into a matcha bowl or a smaller cup with a wider bottom.
• Use 1/3 of thyme tea to make matcha. You can use either a chasen or anelectric hand whisk.
• Add sugar to the rest of the tea and stir until melted.
• Add ice to a glass.

Sources

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7796401/

[2] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273413695_The_Effects_of_Thyme_Tea_Supplement_on_Free_Radicals_Formation_and_Antioxidant_System_of_Elite_Wrestlers

The post Iced Matcha with Lime & Thyme Recipe appeared first on All That Tea.

Learn what is butterfly pea tea and how to make this delicious boba tea at home.  

What is butterfly pea tea?

Butterfly pea tea or a blue tea is tea made from dried flowers of Clitoria ternatea plant. When brewed, these flowers give a beautiful blue infusion that’s unlike any other tea. While these flowers have a quite intense scent that may not appeal to all tea drinkers, they have a quite neutral taste. Plus, they are really versatile and go well with either milk or citruses. But what’s really special about blue tea is that once you change the pH value by adding citruses, the colour will change into purple. The more acidity you add, the more purple the colour will be.

Butterfly pea flowers are caffeine free, which makes them perfect for making refreshing summer drinks.

Ingredients for making Butterfly Pea Tea Boba

Butterfly pea flowers: Butterfly pea flowers are sold in tea shops and Amazon. However, not all are the same. With this ingredient, it really pays off to choose quality over price. Lower quality flowers may not always produce a beautiful blue colour.

Pomegranate: Although you can use a store-bought sugar free pomegranate juice, we recommend making it yourself. You’ll only need 3 tablespoons of fresh pomegranate seeds, a blender and a cheesecloth to strain it.

Lime: Fresh lime juice will add more complexity and distinct zestiness. It’s less sour than lemon, so don’t use lemons instead. Lychee popping boba: Popping boba pearls are available from many Asian stores and go super nice with this drink. Popping pearls are filled with liquid and will burst ones you bite into them. They are a wonderful topping for refreshing boba drinks. You can use pomegranate or raspberry popping pearls instead of lychee.

Sugar: You will need to add a sweetener to balance out the zestiness. Regular granulated sugar will work the best with this drink. Dissolve it in the hot tea, before adding ice. Alternatively, use a lighter honey.

Steps for making the drink

Make the tea: Start with bringing fresh water to a boil. Use about 10-12 dried flowers per cup of water. You can add a bit more or a bit less water, depending on your serving glass. Steep it for 5-7 minutes, or until you achieve a beautiful blue colour. Strain the tea into a clean, empty serving glass. Since butterfly pea flowers are quite big and often unbroken, you can also simply remove them with a clean teaspoon or a fork. Add sugar now because it will dissolve easier in hot tea. Add lots of ice.  

Prepare pomegranate juice: Use blender to blend about 3 heaped tablespoons of pomegranate seeds. Strain the juice into a serving glass with butterfly pea flower tea. You will get about 5 teaspoons of pure pomegranate juice.

Add lime and pooping boba: Squeeze in lime juice and add popping boba pearls. Stir and serve.

Want more butterfly pea flower drink ideas? Check out this Iced Butterfly Pea Flower tea and Milky Butterfly Pea Boba with Matcha Pudding.

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Butterfly Pea Tea Boba with Popping Pearls Recipe

Super refreshing boba

Course Drinks

Keyword Blue Tea, Boba Tea, Butterfly Pea Flower, Pomigranate

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• Kettle and a cup for brewing the tea
• Blender and a cheesecloth for pomegranate juice

Ingredients

• 12 dry butterfly pea flowers
• 1 cup of water
• 1 glass of ice
• 3 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• ½ lime
• 1-2 tablespoons of lychee popping boba

Instructions

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Steep butterfly pea flowers for 5-7 minutes in hot water.
• Strain the tea into a clean serving glass and add sugar. Stir until dissolved.
• Add ice.
• Blend 3 heaped tablespoons of pomegranate seeds in a blender. Strain the juice using a cheesecloth. Pour it into tea.
• Add lime juice.
• Add popping boba pearls.

The post Butterfly Pea Tea Boba with Lychee Popping Pearls – Super Refreshing! appeared first on All That Tea.

But there’s a catch (as there always is with tea).

Gunpowder tea is not supposed to be gentle or delicate or have delicate fresh or steamed veggies notes.

It’s supposed to be strong and bold.

And that’s exactly what makes it a perfect choice for making some truly unique drinks.

Why gunpowder tea is so common?

Gunpowder tea is still one of the most common tea in western countries. Many green tea blends contain either gunpowder, chun mei or sencha tea. However, gunpowder is not as common in its country of origin — China. Since the historic times, most tea came from China. Each country where tea spread developed their own tea drinking rituals and habits. Gunpowder was one of those teas that reached many countries a long time ago, and it stayed. At the same time, other green teas were not as common in the west and they started gaining in popularity only a couple of decades ago. But gunpowder green tea is different. Its robust character made it perfect for customisation and preparing using different brewing techniques.

Why is gunpowder tea called gunpowder?

Tea names, especially of Chinese teas, are often unique and very interesting. Gunpowder is one of those teas, too. If you are new to tea, rest assured, there is absolutely no gunpowder in gunpowder tea. The name comes from the shape of the leaf. Gunpowder green tea leaves are rolled into tight little pellets and have a green/grey colour. Some types may have bigger loosely shaped leaves and other will be small and compact.

Other name for gunpowder is zhucha or pearl tea. This is not to be confused with Dragon Pearl tea, which is a completely different type of tea. This tea is often available under two other names – Pinhead gunpowder tea and temple of heaven green tea.

What does gunpowder tea taste like?

Gunpowder is much stronger than many other Chinese green teas. Even though it’s one of the most widely available green teas, its flavour is an exception, rather than a rule among Chinese green teas. It’s strong, dark green-yellow, smooth and full-bodied, with a smoky and sometimes bitter note. Gunpowder tea brewing is not always easy, especially if you want to avoid bitterness. Bitterness is usually more pronounced when the tea is steeped too long. While bitterness and strength may not be as inviting if you want to enjoy your tea pure, this flavour profile is actually great for making many drinks.

Which ones?

5 ways to use gunpowder tea

Some of the most popular ways of enjoying gunpowder tea have a long history and cultural importance. One of them is Moroccan mint tea, a very delicious, sweet green tea with mint.

1. Use it for making Moroccan mint tea

Moroccan mint tea of Maghrebi Mint tea is a type of strong and sweet drink made with gunpowder tea and nana mint (spearmint). Moroccan mint tea is more than just a cup of green tea with mint. It’s made using a special tea pot, simmer instead of brewed, and includes several steps to make it properly. It’s served from smaller glass cups, and it’s both sweet and strong.

Moroccan mint tea tastes great, both hot and cold, although it’s traditionally served hot. It’s common in many countries, and while the authentic mint tea is made from a scratch, there are many pre-made blends that taste great too.

2. Use it for making pink tea

Pink tea or Kashmiri chai is a truly beautiful type of milk tea with a beautiful pink colour. Although the colour is pink, it’s actually made from green tea. Gunpowder is a brilliant choice for making this tea – it goes really well with milk and has a deep and complex flavour that can be enriched with spices. Pink chai is made by simmering green tea leaves in a saucepan, then adding a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. This will change the colour to deep red, and then adding milk will turn it into pink.

Check out the easiest way to make iced pink tea.

3. Make iced tea or sweet tea

Gunpowder is one of the best teas for making a proper iced tea or sweet tea. Because of its strength, it can handle a lot of ice. It also blends really well with many ingredients, especially citruses and other fruits and herbs. When making an iced tea, add double the amount of tea leaves and steep for 5-10 minutes.  

4. Make a green chai

Gunpowder is one of the rare green teas that go exceptionally well with milk and it’s just perfect for making a green chai or green masala chai. You can use it instead of black tea and follow exactly the same steps and till get a super delicious green masala chai. Try doing the same using sencha and you may be disappointed – most of the times it’s too grassy to be blended with milk. Green chai is similar to pink chai except there’s no bicarbonate of soda to change the colour. To make a green masala chai, add your favourite spices, such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.  

Learn how to make Masala chai from a scratch.

5. Cold brew it with fresh herbs

Cold brewing is another thing that you need to try with gunpowder tea. This brewing method changes the flavour profile of green tea, making it less bitter and more refreshing. If you’re not really into sweet or milky drinks, then this is the perfect way to use gunpowder tea. Try adding some fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary or basil too. You’ll get a super refreshing, light and aromatic tea that you can sip all day long.

Not sure how to cold brew the perfect cup of tea? Learn it here.

The post 5 Ways to Use Gunpowder Tea appeared first on All That Tea.

What is Thai Iced Tea?

Thai iced tea is a milk tea originating from Thailand. It’s actually a very simple iced tea. Part of its charm lies exactly in its simplicity. It’s also one of the easiest milk teas to make at home that can taste as authentic as it would from a Thai restaurant. And the reason for this is very simple – you can use a Thai Tea Mix.

Thai Iced tea is made with black tea and milk, sugar and vanilla.

If you don’t have a Thai tea mix, you can still make an authentic tasting drink. However, it may not be as vividly orange. There’s a solution to that too, and we’ll come to this soon.

What makes Thai Iced tea different from other popular milk teas?

• It’s always served over ice
• It’s always made with vanilla and black tea
• It doesn’t contain a layer of froth
• There’s no pulling method like with chai, Hong Kong milk tea or Teh Tarik
• Unlike others, colour is enhanced with food colouring
• There’s a special pre-made mix, so you don’t need to make it from a scratch

Now that you know what Thai iced tea is, let’s see which ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious drink at home.

Two ways of making Thai Iced Tea

There are two ways you can make Thai Iced tea:

• With a pre-made Thai Tea mix
• Without a pre-made Thai Tea mix using pure black tea leaves

Whichever way you choose, you can get a perfectly delicious drink. Brewing method, temperature and steeping time will all stay the same, regardless of which basic ingredients you are using. However, having a pre-made Thai Tea mix can definitely save you some time and you can have it in a matter of minutes.

So, what exactly is a Thai Tea mix?

What’s in Thai Tea Mix?

Thai Tea Mix is a flavoured and sometimes sweetened black tea made specifically for brewing Thai Iced tea. It’s not an instant tea though, so you will need to steep it.

It’s made with very small broken black tea leaves, vanilla food flavouring and food colouring and sometimes sugar. Even the types that contain sugar, won’t be overly sweet and you will probably need to add more – unless you prefer unsweetened drinks.

What’s important to mention is that if you want to avoid artificial colourings, it may be better to make Thai milk tea from a scratch. Colouring used in Thai Tea Mix is Sunset Yellow FCF, also known as E110 in Europe that may be linked to some health concerns.  

Since tea leaves in Thai Tea mix are very small, they will infuse into a bolder tea than you would typically get from unbroken tea leaves. If you are using a substitute, choose teas that are small as well. These types of teas are quite common among loose tea leaves in supermarkets, while teas from specialty tea stores will mostly have larger leaves.

Thai Tea mix is available on Amazon and from many Asian grocery stores. One bag of tea will be enough to make at least 100-200 glasses of Thai Iced tea. This blend is also available in tea bags.

Is Thai Iced Tea the same as Thai Milk tea?

Thai Iced tea is always made with milk, so we can technically call is a Thai Milk tea too. However, what’s nowadays considered a milk tea is a tea served with boba pearls. To make Thai Milk tea, simply add brown sugar boba pearls into your tea – it will taste absolutely delicious.

How Much Sugar for Thai Iced Tea?

Thai iced tea is typically really sweet. Pre-made Thai iced tea mix already contains some sugar, but most of the sweetness comes from condensed milk and sugar that’s added later. Some recipes will require you to use almost 6 teaspoons of sugar per cup of tea, while others will recommend less. It’s likely that you will need to add more sweetness, but start with 1-2 teaspoons and adjust later.

Thai Iced Tea Calories

Given all the sweetness and milkiness, Thai iced tea may also be calorie rich. When making it at home, you can adjust the sweetness and add more or less condensed milk, thus change the calorie content.

Some Thai tea blends will already contain sugar, but that amount will usually be negligible. This means you may only get a couple of calories per 1-2 teaspoons of tea mix.

Next, each teaspoon of white granulated sugar will add 15-20 calories (depending on how much you scoop out) and a tablespoon of condensed milk will provide an additional 60 calories. A tablespoon of half and half will add 1/3 of that, same as evaporated milk. Since condensed milk already contains sugar, it will add more calories to your tea than evaporated milk.

The Ingredients You Will Need

To make this delicious, iced tea at home you will need either:

• Thai Tea mix + condensed milk + water + ice + sugar
• Black tea leaves + condensed milk + water + ice + vanilla flavouring + sugar

Following recipes are for one serving of iced tea, so multiply the ingredients with the number of glass you want to make.

How to Make Thai Iced Tea with Thai Tea Mix

To make Thai Iced Tea with Thai Tea Mix:

• 1-2 teaspoons of Thai Tea mix
• 2 teaspoons of sugar or more
• A cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of condensed milk
• 1-2 tablespoons of evaporated milk or half-and-half
• Ice

Instructions

1. Steep tea leaves in 200 ml of freshly boiled water for about 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can simmer the tea leaves in a saucepan, which is a preferred way of making Indian chai tea. It will give a stronger tea, but it may also extract more bitterness. If you don’t mind balancing out the bitter notes with extra sugar, simmering is a better option.
2. Fill a tall glass with ice.
3. Strain the tea into a glass.
4. Add sugar and stir until fully dissolved. Unlike honey, sugar will easily dissolve in cold drinks.
5. Add condensed milk and evaporated milk or half-and-half and stir.

 What if you don’t have a Thai tea mix or you don’t want to use a tea mix with colourings? You can still enjoy this delicious tea by using simple pure black tea and adding only one extra ingredient – vanilla.

How to Make Thai Iced Tea Without Thai Tea Mix

You can make Thai Iced tea without food colouring and still enjoy the same delicious drink. That’s because the food colouring will add the colour only, and not the flavour.

However, these tips will help you get a nicer colour:

• Choose broken Ceylon orange pekoe tea leaves or Nilgiri broken tea instead of Assam tea – they are likely to brew into a colour that’s closer to the original Thai tea
• Use condensed milk rather than regular milk – it will not dilute your tea like regular milk, keeping it vibrant and creamy
• Use more tea leaves – more tea leaves mean deeper colour

To make Thai Iced tea without the Thai tea mix you will need:

• 1-2 teaspoons of black tea leaves
• 2 teaspoons of sugar or more
• A cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of condensed milk
• 1-2 tablespoons of coffee creamer, evaporated milk or half and half
• ½ – 1 teaspoon of vanilla flavouring
• Ice

Follow the steps for making Thai Iced tea with a pre-made mix, and simply add vanilla flavouring once the tea is steeped.

Adding Milk Instead of Condensed Milk

While you can add different milk or milk-alternative, keep in mind that the result will be different. Condensed milk, evaporated milk, coffee creamer, canned coconut milk and half-and-half all have a much higher fat percentage than regular whole milk or barista style milk alternatives. You will need to add more for a creamy flavour and the drink will be more diluted. This, of course, doesn’t mean it will taste bad, just different. If you want to add milk, triple the quantity and use barista style milk or full fat dairy milk.

Additional Tips for the Perfect Thai Iced Tea

Here are a few additional tips to take your drink from good to great:

1. Steep your tea longer: To get the perfect bold tea base, steep tea leaves for 5 minutes and use more tea leaves. While the packaging suggests using 2 grams per cup of water, you can use two teaspoons instead of one.
2. Choose the right tea: Thai milk tea, or any milk tea, is usually made with stronger broken tea leaves, such as Assam or some types of Ceylon tea. Thai Tea mix has small broken leaves that infuse into a stronger base.
3. Mix two types of milk: Condensed milk is usually sweetened, so if you want to add more milkiness and creaminess, add some evaporated milk, coffee creamer or half-and-half instead. That is, unless you prefer a very sweet tea!
4. Make it vegan: To make a vegan Thai Iced tea replace condensed milk with a vegan coffee creamer. You can also use a regular non-dairy barista milk, or a creamy canned coconut milk.
5. Make it all natural: You can intensify the colour by adding organic food colourings that are made from natural ingredients. Try to avoid powders such as turmeric or saffron, because they will significantly impact the flavour. Also, you can use the real organic vanilla paste instead of regular vanilla flavourings.

Print

Homemade Thai Iced Tea

Recipe for a drink with or without Thai Tea Mix

Course Drinks

Keyword Black Tea, Iced Tea, Milk Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 300 ml

Equipment

• Saucepan or a kettle + cup saucepan if you want to simmer it, kettle and a cup if you want to steep it
• strainer

Ingredients

• 1-2 teaspoons of Thai Tea Mix OR pure black tea leaves
• 2+ teaspoons of sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of condensed milk
• 1-2 tablespoons of coffee creamer, evaporated milk or half-and-alf
•  ½ – 1 teaspoon of vanilla flavouring if you are using pure tea leaves
• ice

Instructions

• Steep tea leaves in a cup of freshly boiled water for about 5 minutes or simmer them for 5-10 minutes.
• Fill a tall glass with ice.
• Strain the tea into a glass.
• Add sugar and stir until fully dissolved.
• Add vanilla flavouring if you are using pure tea leaves.
• Stir in condensed milk and evaporated milk or half-and-half and serve.

Final Thoughts

Once you learn how to make Thai iced tea at home, you won’t need to search for Thai iced tea near me, ever again. With the right ingredients, you will be able to make a super delicious tea you will thoroughly enjoy – any time and every time. Whether you prefer to use Thai tea mix or make it from scratch, adding condensed milk or a dairy-free alternative, the ultimate result will always be the same — incredibly tasty and refreshing drink.

The post How to Make Thai Iced Tea – 2 Methods appeared first on All That Tea.

We tested two ways – using cold and hot water to demystify which one tastes better.

After all, every cup and glass of tea you drink should be delicious.

So, is there a better way to make it in terms or flavour and benefits?

Let’s find out.

What is matcha tea?

Matcha tea is a type of Japanese green tea made from shaded tea leaves. What makes matcha a matcha is not only the shading process, but the use of special tea cultivars and removing all stalks and veins from tea leaves before powdering them.

Tea leaves used for making matcha are called tencha and look like small light flakes. Tencha is now more accessible too, so try it when you have a chance. Especially if you love matcha.

Let’s get back to matcha.

Matcha is usually described with three characteristics:

• Umami
• Bitterness
• Sweetness

Umami is a seaweed like flavour that is present in all green teas. It comes from L-theanine, an amino acid specific for Camellia sinensis plant, and is especially abundant in matcha and gyokuro green tea. That’s why matcha and gyokuro will have more umami then sencha.

Gyokuro is also a shaded tea, but it’s produced differently than matcha. It’s typically brewed with much cooler water than other green teas.

L-theanine is increased during the shading process, together with caffeine. Two compounds that give bitterness and astringency are caffeine and EGCG. Some of the highest quality matcha teas will have both sweet and umami flavour. Each matcha tea is going to be different and have slightly different ratios of these compounds.

Ultimately, which one you will like the most will depend on your preferences. If you haven’t found the one you like the most, try different types until you find the perfect one.

Is matcha produced in other countries?

Until recently, most of the authentic matcha tea was made only in Japan. But it’s not only the terroir that’s making matcha exclusive and authentic, it the way it is grown and processed as well. Authentic matcha always tastes different from the non-authentic tea and is easily recognizable based on colour and texture.

However, today there are other countries that are producing matcha tea that’s as authentic as the real matcha – but with a slightly different flavour profile that matches the terroir where they are grown.  

Terroir is an environment where the tea is produced and includes climate, soil and other environmental conditions. That’s why 2 teas from different countries, even if they are produced from the same tea cultivar and in the same way, will always taste different.

Which matcha is the best for making iced tea?

Iced matcha is just amazing for spring and summer days and it’s very easy to prepare.

You can use any matcha to make an iced tea, even matcha produced in countries besides Japan, as long as it has a vibrant, green and fresh scent and appearance. There’s no right or wrong in choosing the perfect matcha, but you should always enjoy your tea.

Many packaging and descriptions will not state the type of cultivar or additional information about how it was produced. In fact, these matter little, unless you are a tea connoisseur on a quest to try every type of matcha in the world.

As long as it’s made from quality leaves and it was shaded, stored properly and ground into a very fine powder, your matcha will provide both benefits and will taste delicious. Some teas may have a fresher flavour and scent, the others may have a stronger sweet and umami taste.

You don’t need to use ceremonial grade matcha for making iced matcha. Latte grades will be fine as well. You can add other condiments and powder too, to add other flavour notes such as honey, berries or even cinnamon.

Which utensils do you need for making iced matcha?

Traditionally, matcha is prepared with hot water, using special matcha utensils – chawan, chashaku and chasen. While you can replace chawan and chashaku, chasen is a must for making traditional matcha. Thankfully, there are no strict rules on how to make iced matcha. In fact, an electric hand frother may be a better option as it will make preparation super easy and convenient.

You may even make it with no utensils, using a shaker bottle or mason jar with a tightly closed lid. However, we recommend investing in an electric hand frother, especially if you love drinking matcha lattes too.

Another great utensils to have and use is a small sifter. Sifting matcha is a must step if you want to avoid lumps.

Hot or cold water for matcha – which is better?

Depending on which flavour you enjoy the most and the type of matcha you are using, both ways may, in fact, be a great option.

For this flavour test, iced matcha teas were made:

1. Using 50 ml of water – one was boiled and cooled to 80 degrees and the other was cold filtered water.
2. Tea was sifted into a smaller glass.
3. After pouring either hot or cold water, it was whisked using a hand frother.
4. Glasses were filled with ice and topped with cold water.

So, what did they taste like?

Iced matcha made with cold water only

Matcha made with cold water only has a lighter, more powdery flavour than matcha made with hot water. It’s fresher, grassier, and it had slightly more froth than a matcha made with hot water. This tea is lighter and sweeter and easier to make, as there you don’t need to boil the water first. It also has some astringency, but that astringency was light as well.  

Iced matcha made with hot water

Matcha made with hot water has a deeper, more complex flavour, with slightly more bitterness, but also more depth. It’s also more difficult to make, as it will require additional steps and you should be careful about the water temperature not to intensify the bitterness. However, if you are an avid matcha drinker, you may prefer this style of making iced matcha.

Which matcha will provide more benefits?

The benefits of any tea will depend not only on the type of tea but also on the way you prepare it.

Matcha is not only delicious, it’s also famous for its potential health benefits and energy boost.

Shading process increases the caffeine and L-theanine content in matcha tea (1), making it a really excellent alternative to a regular cup of coffee. Matcha contains catechins too, which may provide an anti-oxidative boost, provide an inti-inflammatory activity, lower blood pressure and improve memory (2).

If you want to maximise the potential benefits, always follow the brewing recommendations.

Usually, steeping time and water temperature both play an important role in extracting the nutrients from tea leaves. Is that the case with matcha too?

Matcha tea is a powder, so you can’t steep it like regular loose tea or a tea bag.

However, studies suggest that even though there is no steeping time for making matcha and therefore the time won’t influence the benefits, water temperature will (3). Making matcha with boiling water will make it really bitter, so the next best option is to use the recommended temperature – 80 degrees Celsius.

In terms of providing more potential health benefits, making iced matcha with hot water first may be a slightly better choice.

Final thoughts on how to make iced matcha

Iced matcha is really delicious, and it may offer refreshment, energy boost and many other benefits. Making an iced matcha tea is easy and convenient since you don’t need all the utensils. However, when choosing the right method, keep in mind the desired flavour profile and potential benefits. Iced matcha made with cold water and iced matcha made with hot water taste very similar. Unless you are a regular matcha drinker, you may not notice the difference at all as both will taste great.

Sources:

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6213777/

(2) https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/11/5087/htm

(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7796401/

The post How to Make Iced Matcha: Cold vs Hot Water – Tested appeared first on All That Tea.

What is Earl Grey syrup?

Earl Grey syrup is a simple sugar syrup made with brewed Earl Grey tea. Instead of being just sweet, it also has a recognizable Earl Grey flavour. Simple syrups are commonly used for sweetening cocktails and cold drinks because it will easily dissolve even in an icy cold drink.

The unique aromatic scent and flavour of Earl Grey tea come from bergamot orange peel; a citrus that’s mainly produced in Italy. Since bergamot flavour is always associated to Earl Grey tea, it’s rarely used for flavouring teas. In other words, all teas with a bergamot flavour will automatically be called Earl Grey teas.

The original Earl Grey is made with black tea, but today, you can use any Camellia sinensis tea to make an Earl Grey and some herbal teas, too. In fact, rooibos Earl Grey is the most common caffeine-free alternative to regular Earl Grey teas.

If you have 15 minutes to spare, this simple Earl Grey syrup recipe will open dozen of new opportunities to enjoy classic bergamot flavour in other drinks too.

8 simple ways to use Earl Grey tea syrup

1. Make simple popsicles

Earl Grey tea popsicles are super easy to make and taste absolutely amazing. If you are a fan of citrusy popsicles and want a simple treat that will take less than 5 minutes of your time, try out this recipe. Allow them to freeze overnight and use within a couple of weeks. They are great for summer tea parties when you need unique but simple treat that will take only a few minutes to make.

2. Use as a sweetener for homemade rice pudding

Who doesn’t like a good homemade rice pudding? The perfect rice pudding doesn’t need to be complicated. To make the simplest rice pudding, you will need only 3 ingredients – arborio or originario rice, milk and Earl Grey tea syrup instead of a sweetener.

3. Spice up your gin and tonic

A good gin and tonic is all about the right botanicals. A good Earl Grey is all about the right balance of bergamot and black tea flavour. Try adding ½ to 1 teaspoon of bergamot tea syrup to your gin and tonic and be ready for a surprise – they go exceptionally well together.

4. Add Earl Grey flavour to boba tea

A secret to making a flavourful boba tea are flavourful, chewy and sweet ingredients. A tea syrup can take care of the flavourful and sweet part. Use it to coat tapioca pearls and to add more flavour and sweetness to your boba tea. Even if you are using an Earl Grey black tea syrup, it will still go well with other types of tea, like rooibos or matcha green tea boba.

5. Sweeten your coffee with tea

Long gone are the times when mixing tea and coffee would be a weird thing to do. Today, coffee teas are anything but uncommon. Earl Grey sugar syrup can make any coffee latte taste more fragrant.

6. Use it for sweetening pure black iced tea

The easiest and fastest way to turn a pure black tea into an iced Earl Grey is by sweetening it with Earl Grey simple syrup. A great thing about tea syrups is that they will dissolve in cold water much easier than granulated sugar or honey.

7. Make an instant Earl Grey Syrup slushie

You know you can make a delicious, refreshing and fragrant slushie with only 3 ingredients – simple syrup, sparkling water and ice. Check out this recipe for an Instant Earl Grey Slushie.

8. Make your own granola with Earl Grey syrup

The benefit of making granola at home is that you can choose your own ingredients and get as creative as you wish. From rolled oats to rice pops, almonds to pecans, spices and citruses, the list is limitless. Use tea syrup as a binding agent – it will taste delicious.

Ready to try some of these ideas? Learn how to make a very simple tea syrup.

The post 8 simple ways to use Earl Grey syrup appeared first on All That Tea.