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Quick, Simple, Full-Flavored Iced Tea

Name: Quick, Simple, Full-Flavored Iced Tea
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 5 , tea bags of your choice; 1 quart, spring water (see note); 1 - 6 tablespoons, granulated sugar or natural cane sugar (depending on desired sweetness); 1 quart, ice cubes (see note), plus additional cubes for glasses

Appears in Cook's Illustrated July/August 1999

A hybrid technique based on traditional brewing and sun-tea steeping results in smooth, full-flavored tea—quickly.

YIELD 4 to 6 (Makes 1 1/2 quarts)

TIME 20 minutes

Quick, Simple, Full-Flavored Iced Tea photo

Why This Recipe Works

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Gather Your Ingredients

1 quart spring water (see note)

1 - 6 tablespoons granulated sugar or natural cane sugar (depending on desired sweetness)

1 quart ice cubes (see note), plus additional cubes for glasses

Before You Begin

Depending on the quality of your tap water, you may want to use bottled spring water to make both the tea itself and your ice cubes. Doubling this recipe is easy, but use a large saucepan and expect the water to take a few minutes longer to reach the proper temperature. For a slightly stronger iced tea, reduce the amount of ice to 3 cups. Garnish with a thin lemon wedge to squeeze into the tea, if you like.

Instructions

Heat tea bags and water in medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until dark colored, very steamy, and small bubbles form on bottom and sides of pan (an instant-read thermometer will register about 190 degrees), 10 to 15 minutes. Off heat, steep for 3 minutes (no longer or tea may become bitter). Remove and discard tea bags; pour tea into pitcher. Stir in sugar, if using, until dissolved; stir in ice until melted. Serve in ice-filled glasses.

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