Name: Raspberry-Basil Iced Black Tea
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Ingredients: 7 1/2 ounces (1½ cups) frozen raspberries , thawed; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil , plus 4 sprigs; 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 1/2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea; 3 cups boiling water; 1 cup ice water

Why This Recipe Works

For brisk and refreshing iced tea with intense berry flavor tempered by floral sweetness, we thawed frozen raspberries and mashed them with basil, sugar, and lemon juice. We started by brewing tea with boiling water to extract the aromatic compounds from the leaves. Then we cooled the extraction with ice water and the raspberry mixture but did not strain it. By steeping the tea for an hour at this lower temperature, we could draw more flavor from the leaves without pulling out too many bitter compounds.

Before You Begin

You can substitute decaffeinated tea if desired. Two tea bags such as Twinings or Lipton can be substituted for the loose-leaf tea. Your ice water should be half ice and half water. This recipe can easily be doubled. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount.

Instructions

Place raspberries, chopped basil, sugar, and lemon juice in medium bowl. Using wooden spoon, mash until no whole berries remain. Place tea in second medium bowl. Add boiling water and steep for 4 minutes. Add ice water and raspberry mixture. Stir tea with wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. Let steep for 1 hour. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into pitcher (or strain into third bowl and transfer to pitcher). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

To serve, pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish each serving with basil sprig.