Hibiscus Lemon Tea

This has got to be the best drink recipe I've shared!

I came about this recipe when I was attempting to make hibiscus lemonade. In case you don't know, hibiscus is tart, not sweet and not sour, just tart. Add lemon and hibiscus together and we're talking major sour face. I couldn't find a sweet combination of the two by themselves without adding in a whole bag of Stevia in the raw, so I decided to add in tea to help mellow out the tart flavoring.

I'm not much of a tea drinker except when I get sick. But when I do drink tea, I love chai tea. I love the mixture of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black peppercorn. So when I opened up my cupboard to see what kind of tea I had, I was pleasantly surprised to find some chai tea still in there. Let's say I was rather lucky because otherwise this would be hibiscus lemon gingerbread tea!

The chai tea was the perfect complement to the hibiscus and lemon with its warming spices. And with the colder months coming up, this tea can also be served hot, so you can enjoy it all year long! That's what I call a win-win!

With the remaining hibiscus flowers, I made hibiscus ice cubes to serve in this Hibiscus Lemon Tea. I think they make it pretty, don't you? Directions how to make these decorative ice cubes is down below under Helpful Hints.

Just like with my No-Churn Peach Hibiscus ice cream, use only organic hibiscus. As with any food, herb, or plant, please use hibiscus with caution. Or if you are nursing or pregnant, then this recipe is not intended for you, as it is not recommended due to adverse effects.

Hibiscus Lemon Tea

Recipe by Julie @ Sweet and Spicy Monkey

A refreshing blend of hibiscus, lemon, and chai tea.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 70 minutes
Yield: 3 and 1/2 quarts
Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons organic hibiscus flowers, dried
• 8 cups water
• 5 cups chai tea
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 3 and 1/2 cups Stevia in the raw

Directions

1. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water and hibiscus flowers into a small sauce pan. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Once water starts boiling, remove from heat and let sit for 45 minutes.
2. In a separate saucepan, add 5 and 1/2 cups (a little more than 5 cups to allow for evaporation) of water into a medium to large saucepan. Place 2 to 3 chai tea bags in water and bring to a boil. Once water starts to boil, turn off heat and let sit until room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, add lemon juice, remaining 6 and 1/2 cups of water, and Stevia in the raw into a large pitcher. Place in refrigerator until hibiscus and tea are ready.
4. After hibiscus sits for 45 minutes, using a fine mesh strainer placed over pitcher or a separate large bowl, pour hibiscus water through strainer. Use a wooden spoon to mash excess water out of remaining hibiscus flowers.
5. If using a separate bowl for straining hibiscus, pour strained hibiscus water into pitcher with other ingredients.
6. Remove tea bags from tea and pour into pitcher.
7. Place pitcher into the refrigerator and let cool.
8. Best served chilled over ice.

*Helpful Hints*

 

- Save the hibiscus flowers to decorate your ice cubes for this drink. In small bowl add remaining hibiscus flowers and about 1 cup of water, stir together. Pour into ice cube molds, sprinkling hibiscus flowers into each cube mold and place in freezer. Serve these ice cubes in your Hibiscus Lemon Tea for a decorative look.
 

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Shared with: Savoring Saturdays