Tea with Sweetener and Milk or Lemon

Introduction

You heat 1 liter of water, warm the teapot first, and let the tea infuse without stirring so it stays clean-tasting instead of turning bitter. You can finish it with sweetener and either milk or lemon, which makes it useful for a quick pot in the morning or a simple batch to serve four.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 3 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 minutes
• Total Time: 11 minutes
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 32 fl oz (1 L) hot water
• 3-5 measures of loose tea leaves or 3-5 tea bags
• Sweetener, such as sugar or honey, to taste
• Milk or lemon juice to taste

Instructions

1. Pour freshly-drawn water into a tea kettle, and heat it to your desired temperature. An electric kettle is fast and convenient.
2. Pour some hot tap water into your teapot and let stand for about several seconds to a minute to pre-warm it. Alternately, you can swish some of the hotter boiling water from your kettle around in the teapot for a few seconds. Pour out this water before adding the tea to the teapot.
3. If using loose tea, place it into an infuser, then into the teapot. If using teabags, place them into the teapot.
4. When the water reaches the preferred temperature, pour it from the tea kettle into the teapot. As you pour, try to avoid pouring directly onto the tea (especially important for green and white teas) to avoid scalding the leaves.
5. Allow the tea to infuse quietly (i.e. do not stir the teapot or “dunk the teabag”). Agitating the tea releases more of the bitter compounds and degrades the taste. Watch the time to avoid over-infusion, and remove the infuser or tea bag when the time is up.
6. Pour tea into your cup(s). Add sweetener and milk or lemon to taste.

Variations

• Change the tea leaves or tea bags to black tea if you want a stronger cup that holds up well to milk.
• Change the tea leaves or tea bags to green tea for a lighter, grassier flavor; lemon usually fits better than milk with this version.
• Change the sweetener, such as sugar or honey, to taste to honey for a softer sweetness and a slightly fuller flavor.
• Change Milk or lemon juice to taste to milk for a rounder, smoother finish, or to lemon juice for a sharper, brighter cup.
• Change the 3-5 measures of loose tea leaves or 3-5 tea bags within that range to control strength: 3 gives you a lighter pot, while 5 gives you a fuller, more assertive brew.

Tips for Success

• Use freshly-drawn water; stale water gives flat-tasting tea.
• Do the teapot pre-warm step so the brewing water does not lose heat as soon as it hits the pot.
• When you pour, avoid pouring directly onto the tea, especially if you are making green or white tea, which can turn harsh if scalded.
• During infusion, do not stir the teapot or dunk the teabag; that pulls out more bitterness.
• Remove the infuser or tea bag when the time is up so the tea stays balanced instead of getting astringent.

Storage and Reheating

Store plain brewed tea in a glass jar, pitcher, or other airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you have already added milk or lemon, it is better the same day and should still be refrigerated in a covered container.

For freezing, plain tea can be frozen in a freezer-safe container or ice cube tray for up to 2 months. Tea with milk does not freeze well because the texture can separate.

To reheat, warm plain tea on the stovetop over low heat or microwave it in short intervals until hot. Do not boil it again, especially if it is a delicate tea, or the flavor can get dull and harsh.

FAQ

Can you use tea bags instead of loose tea?

Yes. The recipe already allows for either, and tea bags are the faster option if you do not want to deal with an infuser.

Can you add both milk and lemon?

It is better to choose one. Lemon can cause milk to curdle, which changes the texture immediately.

How do you keep the tea from turning bitter?

Do not pour the hottest water directly onto delicate leaves, do not stir or dunk during infusion, and remove the tea as soon as it has finished steeping.

Can you use honey instead of sugar?

Yes. Add it while the tea is still hot so it dissolves fully; it will give the tea a slightly different flavor than plain sugar.