Iced tea is a staple drink for many in the warmer months, but if you want to change your usual recipe, you might want to try iced green tea. It's easy to make at home, and once you know the basics, you can tailor it with extra ingredients.
You don't need much to make green tea, although the exact equipment and ingredients vary depending on the method you use. There's a quick iced green tea recipe for when you're in a hurry or a slower cold brew alternative.
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Steeping your green tea in near-boiling water is the quickest way of making iced tea. The resulting tea may be slightly more bitter than cold brew tea, but it still tastes great. This recipe makes around 4 cups, but you can easily increase or decrease the quantities as desired.
Green tea should be steeped in water of around 175 degrees. The easiest way to heat water to this temperature is with a temperature-controlled electric kettle, but there are other methods. If you're boiling water in a pan, when steam starts to rise from the water but it isn't yet bubbling, this is around 175 degrees. Alternatively, you can use a thermometer or mix 1 1/2 cups of boiling water with 1/2 a cup of room temperature water.
In a heat-proof pitcher, add six green tea bags and 2 cups of your heated water to make a concentrated tea base. Leave it to steep for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how strong you like your green tea. We'd recommend starting with 5 minutes and increasing the duration next time if you want stronger tea.
Remove the tea bags and add your sweetener of choice if you want sweet tea. You can use any sweetener you like, including standard white sugar, coconut sugar and agave nectar. It's best to do this while the tea is still warm since the sweetener will dissolve more easily.
The exact quantity to add will depend on the sweetener you use and how sweet you like your tea. In most cases, you should add anywhere from 4 teaspoons for a slightly sweet tea to 1/4 cup for a very sweet tea.
Add another 2 cups of cold water to dilute your tea base. This quick method involves making a strong tea base and diluting it to help chill the tea. Otherwise, you need to wait a while until it's cool enough to serve.
Now fill glasses with ice and pour in the tea. At this point, you can add any extras you might like, such as lemon slices or fresh mint.
If you have time, it's worth making cold brew iced green tea for a naturally smoother and sweeter flavor. As with the quick recipe, it makes 4 cups, but quantities can be adjusted as desired.
Find a pitcher that's the right size to fit in your fridge, whether in the door or on the shelf. Combine six bags of green tea and 4 cups of cold or room temperature water.
Cover the pitcher and put it in the fridge to steep for six to eight hours. At this point, remove the tea bags even if you don't intend to drink them right away. If you steep the tea for much longer, it will become bitter.
If you want to sweeten your iced tea, add your choice of sweetener to taste. You'll need to mix it well to dissolve it in cold tea.
Serve your tea over a glass of ice with any garnishes you choose. Fresh fruit and fresh mint are popular choices but aren't essential.
It's worth buying quality green tea for the best flavor. This certified organic and non-GMO tea has a smooth, subtle flavor that's great for iced tea.
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Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle
If you intend on making quick green iced tea regularly, this kettle will make your life easier. You can select from a range of water temperatures, so it's simple to heat water to an optimal 175 degrees.
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Made from borosilicate glass, this pitcher can withstand temperatures of up to 300 degrees, perfect for making tea using the quick method or the cold brew method. It isn't too tall, so it fits nicely in most fridges.
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Yoove Ice Cube Tray With Lid and Bin
Iced tea fans without an ice maker will appreciate this large ice cube tray with a bin below for storage. It holds more than enough ice to meet most people's tea-based needs.
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
