Who wants iced tea? The sun has been shining since early morning, not a leaf is moving on the tree, and sweat is constantly dripping from the foreheads of many of us. It needs a major refresh right now! Try one of the 5 simple drinks that will pleasantly cool the body on summer days.
There are tons of iced tea recipes out there, and a lot of them are very similar. We have selected 5 interesting recipes for easy preparation of your own drink. All of them are enjoyed by kids and adults alike, and all you need to make are a few off-the-shelf ingredients, plenty of ice, and some fridge space. If ice is in short supply for you, then be sure to read our article about cold brew tea. However, even the last of the recipes in this article can be prepared without ice. Which will be your favorite?
Recipe 1 – Mint refreshment
Ingredients:
- 8 cups of water
- 12 sprigs of mint
- 4 bags of black tea
- 1 cup of orange juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- ice cubes
- slices of orange and lemon
Method:
Do velkého hrnce nalijte 3 hrnky vody a přiveďte k varu. Vroucí vodu sundejte z plamene a přidejte mátu a čajové sáčky (například značky Thurson). Zakryté nechte louhovat 3-5 minut podle chuti. Poté mátu a čajové sáčky vyjměte.
Přidejte pomerančový džus, citronovou šťávu, cukr a zbývající vodu. Rozmícheje tak, aby se cukr rozpustil. Přelijte do džbánu a nechte vychladnout v lednici. Hotový ledový čaj podávejte na ledu, podle potřeby přidejte plátky pomeranče a citronu, a sklenice můžete ozdobit i mátou nebo paraplíčkem.
TIP: Try replacing the orange juice with pineapple juice.
Recipe 2 – Ginger cold drink
Ingredients:
- 1 medium ginger, crushed
- 4 bags of mint tea
- 8 cups of water
- 2 spoons of sugar syrup
- 1 handful of mint leaves
- ice cubes
Method:
Do velkého hrnce nalijte všechnu vodu a přiveďte k varu. Stáhněte z plamene a přidejte nadrcený zázvor a mátový čaj (například od značky Naturavita). Nechejte louhovat asi 10 minut a poté sceďte do džbánu.
Přidejte sirup – ten by neměl být vůbec výrazný, ideálně domácí sirup (stejné množství vody a cukru se vaří, dokud se cukr nerozpustí a sirup nenabere správnou konzistenci). Na závěr přidejte lístky máty, které dodají nápoji svěžest, a nechte vychladnout. Podávejte na ledu.
Recipe 3 – Lemon Iced Tea with Basil
Ingredients:
- 6 cups of water
- 4 bags of green tea
- 1 citrón
- 1 small handful of fresh basil leaves
- honey (to taste)
Method:
Pour about 1.5 liters of water into a saucepan, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add thinly sliced lemon, basil leaves and green tea bags (for example from Hyson or Thurson ). Cover and let steep for 10-15 minutes, then remove the tea bags. Chill in the fridge for a few hours. Serve the iced tea over ice, with a slice of lemon and a basil leaf.
Recipe 4 – Earl Gray Latte
Ingredients:
- 3 tea bags Earl Grey
- 3 cups of water
- 1 whipping cream (high percentage, 250 ml)
- 4 teaspoons of sugar
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ice cubes
Method:
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small pot, then remove from heat. We can also boil water in a pressure cooker and pour it into a French press or other container where we will infuse the tea. We insert Earl Gray tea bags (if you have quality Earl Grey, three will be enough), cover and leave to infuse for about 5 minutes. Then discard the bags and add two cups of cold water so that the tea cools down faster and is not as strong.
In a bowl, beat the heavy cream, sugar and salt with a hand mixer. It takes about a minute to thicken. The goal is for it to still be liquid enough to slowly slide down the side of the glass. Put ice cubes in a transparent glass and fill it about ¾ full with tea. Top with whipped cream and serve immediately. Earl Gray Latté creates an impressive lava effect by mixing tea and cream, and it also tastes great.
Recipe 5 - Peach Oolong
Method:
Bring the water to a boil in a pot, then remove from the heat. Add oolong tea bags (for example from Richard), cover and leave to infuse for about 5 minutes. Then discard the bags and add a thinly sliced peach, the juice of half a lime and sprigs of rosemary to your preference.
Oolong tea itself is nicely sweet, so there is no need to sweeten the iced tea with sugar or honey. Cover and let cool for several hours. The longer the drink is in the fridge, the more noticeable the peach and rosemary flavor will be. Serve in glasses with ice and a peach slice.
TIP: this recipe can also be prepared as a cold brew. Pour cold water over oolong tea bags, peach slices, lime juice and rosemary, refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight, then just strain and the ice drink is ready! You can learn more about cold brewed tea in the article on our blog.
English 
Czech