Description
Refreshing Mango Iced Tea with fresh mango syrup, black tea, and lemon. Perfect for a hot day!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups water, divided
- 4 black tea bags (or 4 tablespoons loose leaf black tea)
- 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cubed
- ½ cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- ¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Ice cubes, for serving
- Mango slices, for garnish (optional)
- Mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine Mango and Sugar: In a medium saucepan, combine the cubed mangoes and granulated sugar. Stir well to distribute the sugar evenly.
- Cook Over Medium Heat: Place the saucepan over medium heat. As the mixture heats up, the mangoes will start to release their juices. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.
- Simmer Until Softened: Continue to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until the mangoes are very soft and easily mashed with a fork. The mixture should thicken slightly.
- Mash the Mangoes: Use a fork or potato masher to thoroughly mash the mangoes. For a smoother syrup, use an immersion blender (be careful with hot liquids!).
- Strain the Syrup (Optional): For a super smooth syrup, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Press down on the solids to extract as much syrup as possible.
- Cool Completely: Allow the mango syrup to cool completely before using it. Speed up cooling by placing the saucepan in an ice bath.
- Heat Water: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a kettle or saucepan.
- Steep the Tea: Place the black tea bags (or loose leaf tea in a tea infuser) in a heatproof pitcher or large measuring cup. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags.
- Steep for 3-5 Minutes: Allow the tea to steep for 3-5 minutes, depending on your desired strength.
- Remove Tea Bags: Remove the tea bags or tea infuser from the pitcher. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the tea bags.
- Cool Slightly: Allow the tea to cool slightly before adding the mango syrup.
- Combine Tea and Syrup: Pour the cooled black tea into a large pitcher. Add the cooled mango syrup and lemon juice.
- Stir Well: Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust the sweetness by adding more sugar or mango syrup, if needed. Add more lemon juice for a more tart iced tea.
- Chill the Iced Tea: Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. For best results, chill for several hours or overnight.
- Serve Over Ice: When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour the mango iced tea over the ice.
- Garnish (Optional): Garnish with mango slices and mint sprigs, if desired.
Notes
- Use good quality black tea like Ceylon or Assam. Avoid flavored black teas.
- Adjust sweetness to taste based on the ripeness of the mangoes.
- For a spicy kick, add a small piece of fresh ginger to the mango syrup while simmering.
- Make it sparkling by topping off with sparkling water or club soda.
- Substitute honey or agave nectar for granulated sugar.
- Add a shot of rum for an adult version.
- Use frozen mango chunks if fresh mangoes are unavailable. Thaw slightly before using.
- Lemon juice can be substituted with lime juice.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for parties or gatherings.
- Mango iced tea can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes