The Lello Kitchen
Marie Antoinette Iced Tea
A clean, lightly sweetened iced tea designed to preserve the perfume of a fine loose-leaf blend rather than drown it in fruit.
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Cook
- 5 minutes
- Serves
- 4 glasses
- Difficulty
- Easy
At the Lello table
Iced tea becomes dull when brewed weak and diluted with too much ice. Brew a concentrated infusion, strain on time, then chill it quickly.
Method
- Steep the tea in the hot water for 4 minutes, or according to the package if it specifies a shorter time.
- Strain immediately. If using honey, stir it into the hot tea until dissolved.
- Add the very cold water and refrigerate until fully chilled.
- Serve over a modest amount of ice with a strip of lemon peel expressed over each glass.
Cook’s notes
- Do not compensate for weak tea by steeping longer; over-steeping increases bitterness. Use more leaf instead.
- The exact water temperature should defer to the tea maker's instructions if they differ from this general method.
Substitutions
- Orange peel gives a softer perfume than lemon and can be excellent with floral teas.
- Sugar syrup is neutral; lavender honey adds its own floral character and should be used sparingly.
To serve
Serve at afternoon tea, brunch, or with a simple butter cake.
Storage & make-ahead
Refrigerate without citrus peel for up to 24 hours for the freshest aroma.
