Refreshing Sweet Iced Teas: Quick Sweet Recipes

Iced tea is the drink of the summer to kick back and enjoy in this heatwave and also indulge in some quick sweet recipes. If you’re hosting a summer barbecue when the weather allows it, or just want a cooling drink to enjoy on a warm afternoon, homemade iced tea is the perfect choice. Of course, you can take the lazy way out and use a powdered mix, but that just won’t taste as great as the freshly brewed, homemade stuff. The beauty of iced tea lies in its simplicity and the ability to customise it any way you want. Here are some interesting recipes that we recommend:

Thai Iced Tea

Ingredients:

• 3 black tea bags
• 240 ml boiling water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp condensed milk
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2-3 tbsp evaporated milk
• Ice

Instructions:

• Usually, a Thai tea mix is used, but if you cannot find these, any strong black tea will do. Steep the black tea bags in 240 ml boiled water for 5 minutes.
• Once the tea is brewed, remove the tea bags and add the vanilla extract to it. You can also add a few drops of orange food coloring so the drink looks like the original Thai iced tea.
• Add the condensed milk and sugar, then stir until they are dissolved in the tea.
• Pour this mixture into a tall glass filled with lots of ice and drizzle evaporated milk on the top.

Southern Sweet Tea

Ingredients:

• 6-7 black tea bags
• 480 gm sugar
• 3 liters water
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• Lemon slices

Instructions:

• Bring about a liter of water to a boil in a pot. Once done, transfer into a pitcher.
• Let the rest of the water chill in the fridge or freezer.
• Add the tea bags and the baking soda to this. You don’t need to stir this. Just let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
• Once the tea is brewed, extract the bags from it.
• Add the sugar and give the drink a stir. You can also use powdered sugar so it dissolves quickly and easily.
• Add chilled water over this concoction and put it back in the fridge.
• Serve with a slice of lemon in the glass.

Iced Masala Chai

Ingredients:

For the tea:

• 240 ml water
• 1 1/2 tsp chai masala (store bought or homemade)
• 1 tbsp loose leaf black tea
• 360 ml milk
• Ice

For the homemade chai masala:

• 15 cardamom pods
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 20 black peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• ¼ tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp ginger powder

Instructions:

• If you have store bought chai masala then this drink will come together really quickly. If not, here’s how you can make the masala with the following steps.
• Toast all the spices barring the ginger powder on a dry, heavy bottomed pan until they are fragrant.
• Then let them cool down completely in a broad plate or thali.
• Add all of the toasted spices along with ginger powder in a spice grinder and turn them into a fine powder. Now you’re ready to use this mix in hot and cold masala tea.
• To make the iced masala tea, bring about 120 ml of water to a boil, then add the black tea leaves to it along with sugar, and spice mix.
• Let the tea and the spices steep in the water, and bring down the heat to medium.
• At this point, add the milk and let it boil and foam up. This process should take you 7-9 minutes, then turn off the heat.
• Adjust the sweetness of the tea according to your preference.
• Strain the tea into another container, cover with a lid, and let it cool in the fridge for half an hour.
• Serve in a tall glass generously filled with ice.