Description
This refreshing Strawberry Sweet Tea is a delightful blend of freshly brewed tea and luscious pureed strawberries, sweetened to taste and chilled with frozen berries. Perfect for warm days, this homemade beverage combines the robust flavors of steeped tea with the natural sweetness of ripe strawberries, finished with a hint of strawberry extract for extra depth.
Ingredients
Scale
Tea Base
- 6 cups water
- 4 family size tea bags (or 6 regular size tea bags)
Strawberry Mix
- 1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries (divided use)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar (more or less, to taste)
- 2 teaspoons strawberry extract (optional)
For Serving
- Frozen strawberries (for serving) or ice cubes
- 6 fresh strawberries (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Heat Water: In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, turn off the heat to prepare for steeping the tea.
- Steep Tea: Add tea bags to the hot water and allow them to steep, releasing their flavors fully into the water.
- Prepare Strawberries: While the tea is steeping, set aside 6 strawberries for garnish if desired. Remove stems from the remaining strawberries and discard them.
- Slice Strawberries: Cut the remaining strawberries in half to prepare them for pureeing.
- Puree Strawberries: Place the sliced strawberries into a blender or food processor and blend until fully liquified, creating a fresh strawberry puree.
- Sweeten Tea: Once tea has finished steeping, remove the tea bags and pour the tea into a pitcher. Add the sugar and stir thoroughly to dissolve it completely.
- Add Strawberry Puree: Stir the pureed strawberries and optional strawberry extract into the sweetened tea, mixing well to combine all the flavors.
- Chill Tea: Add frozen strawberries (or ice cubes) to the pitcher to cool the tea down and keep it chilled.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve the strawberry sweet tea in glasses garnished with the reserved fresh strawberries on top for an appealing presentation.
Notes
- Adjust sugar quantity to your taste preference for sweetness.
- The strawberry extract is optional but enhances the berry flavor if used.
- Frozen strawberries not only chill the tea but add an extra fruity touch without diluting the drink like ice cubes might.
- Use fresh strawberries at their peak ripeness for the best flavor.
- This tea is best served cold and consumed within 2 days for optimal freshness.
