Celebrate the summer weather with these fragrant, revitalizing grapefruit & basil iced teas.
Recipe Information
Total Time:
Yield:
10 servings (6½ ounces each)
Ingredients
6½ cups water, divided
3 English breakfast tea bags
3 large red grapefruit, divided; plus additional wedges for garnish
½ cup clover honey
1 cup lightly packed basil leaves, plus additional for garnish
Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to boil. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Steep tea, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Transfer tea to a 2-quart pitcher; cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until well chilled.
Meanwhile, for basil-grapefruit syrup, use a vegetable peeler to carefully remove the peel, without pith, from 1 grapefruit; set peel aside. Juice the peeled grapefruit; transfer the juice to a medium saucepan; add remaining ½ cup water and honey. Bring to boil over medium heat; boil for 1 minute or until honey is dissolved.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add grapefruit peel and 1 cup basil. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes or until basil becomes slightly bruised and wilted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Strain basil-grapefruit mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium heatproof bowl. Using the back of a spoon, gently press juices from basil mixture. Discard basil mixture. Cool syrup mixture to room temperature.
Meanwhile, juice remaining 2 grapefruits. Add juice to tea in pitcher.
To serve, stir syrup into tea in pitcher; add ice. Pour tea into ice-filled glasses; garnish with additional grapefruit wedges and basil, if desired.
