Cold Drinks

Peach Iced Tea

Iced tea clouds for two reasons: brewing it too long and chilling it too fast. Tannins pulled out by boiling water precipitate into a haze the moment the jug hits a cold fridge. So we brew short, at 90°C, and let the tea come down to room temperature on the counter first.

Jump to recipe
Pinterest

Peach Iced Tea — the finished dish
Prep
15 min
Cook
10 min
Rest
3 h
Total
3 h 25 min
Servings
6
Level
Easy
Per serving
85 kcal

Ingredients

  • What to use instead

    Out of season, tinned peaches work — 300 g of flesh replaces two fresh ones, but then halve the sugar.

Makes: about 1.5 l, 6 glasses

Method

  1. Step 1: Brew it short

    Pour water at 90°C over the tea and steep for exactly 3 minutes. Boiling water and five minutes produce a bitterness no amount of peach will cover.

  2. Step 2: Strain straight away

    Strain the tea into a large bowl and do not leave the leaves sitting in it. Every extra minute is more tannin, and tannin is what clouds the jug.

  3. Step 3: Make the peach base

    Chop two peaches and blend them with the sugar and 100 ml of the warm tea until smooth. The warmth helps the sugar dissolve completely.

  4. Step 4: Combine

    Stir the purée into the tea and add the lemon juice. The acid lifts the flavour and keeps the peach from browning.

  5. Step 5: Cool it slowly

    Leave the jug on the counter until it reaches room temperature, around an hour, and only then move it to the fridge for another two.

  6. Step 6: Serve

    Slice the third peach into wedges and add it to the jug with the lemon slices. Pour into glasses over ice, with a sprig of mint.

Tips & variations

  • Tip

    If it clouds anyway, stir in 50 ml of boiling water: heat dissolves the tannin haze straight back in.

  • Variation

    Cold brewing sidesteps the problem entirely: 4 tsp of tea to 1.2 l of cold water, 8 hours in the fridge, always clear.

  • Swap

    Out of season, tinned peaches work — 300 g of flesh replaces two fresh ones, but then halve the sugar.

  • Storage

    Two days in the fridge. Fish the peach slices out after a few hours, or they go soft and cloud the tea.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving and for the whole dish
1 serving Whole dish 6 servings
Energy85 kcal510 kcal
Protein1 g6 g
Fat0 g0 g
Carbohydrates21 g126 g

Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.

More cold drinks

See all