Iced Tea aka Sweet Tea

Level of Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 6

I have recently started to make my own Iced Tea which is also known as Sweet Tea. It is a simple recipe, but I thought summer was a great time to share the recipe. Summer provides excellent fresh fruit and it nice to have a beverage that is not packed with sugar and artificial flavors.  Flavoring can also be a a hidden source of gluten. This is a natural, refreshing, low calorie drink on a hot summer day.

Iced Tea

I am a week late posting a recipe, because I returned to Prince Edward Island for an extended holiday. Time and the days of the week no longer have traditional meaning  if you go on "Island  Time" . I was having a great time relaxing on the beach and making the bench pictured with the tea below.  The internet makes me believe I can do anything :)  The bench looks good and it and it has not collapsed yet.

Iced Tea and my bench

Makes ~6 cups where each one has approximately:

70 Calories, 18g Carbs, 0g Fat, 0g Protein

Iced Tea aka Sweet Tea

1	Black Tea Bag
1/3 cup	Pureed fruit
1 cup	Simple Syrup (1 part Water, 1 part White Sugar)

Directions

1. Brew 6 cups of Black Tea.

Tip: I like to use English Breakfast Tea. One tea bag usually brews ~4 cups, I leave tea bag in longer to brew 6 cups rather than using 2 tea bags.

2. Puree the fruit of your choice and wrap it in cheesecloth. 

Tip: The Cheesecloth allows the fruit to flavor the tea and keep the seeds contained.  My favorite fruit for this recipe is Raspberries.

3. Combine the Tea, Simple Syrup, and in a pitcher.

Tip: Instructions for Simple Syrup may be found here

4. Cool and Serve over ice.

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The tea will last ~1 week in the refrigerator.  I usually remove the bag containing the fruit after approximately 24 hours, it will continue to flavor the tea.  You can leave it in longer if desired, but most of the flavor ill be infused in the first few hours. 

Brand Recommendations:

This recipe is naturally gluten free, but be careful when selecting the tea.  Some artisan brands add grains to the tea bag. Basic tea is the best. I use Ronnefeldt or Twinings

Please post your experience with this recipe in the comments... and is it worth the calories?