Prep Time
10 mins
Servings
4 Servings
Cook Time
5 mins
Difficulty
Easy
A quick, herby cooler inspired by Provence. Peach, lemon and thyme mingle with black tea for a refreshing drink.
Ingredients
1000 ml Cold water, room temperature (Use filtered if preferred)
4 Black tea bags (English breakfast or Assam work well)
450 g Ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped (About 3 medium peaches)
6 sprigs Fresh thyme, use whole sprigs for infusion (Reserve 4 small sprigs for garnish)
30 ml Lemon juice, freshly squeezed (About 1 medium lemon)
30 g Honey (Adjust to taste; substitute caster sugar or agave if preferred)
200 ml Sparkling water, chilled (Optional, to top up for fizz)
to serve Ice cubes (Add to glasses when serving)
4 slices Peach slices, thinly sliced (For garnish)
4 sprigs Thyme sprigs (garnish), fresh (Adds aroma when served)
Method
Step 1
Measure 150 ml of the cold water and place it in a small saucepan with the chopped peaches, 4 thyme sprigs and the honey.
Step 2
Bring the peach mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, simmer for 3 minutes, then mash the peaches with a spoon or potato masher to release juices. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes to infuse.
Step 3
Meanwhile bring the remaining 850 ml water to near boiling and pour over the 4 tea bags in a heatproof jug. Steep for 4 to 5 minutes, then remove and discard the tea bags.
Step 4
Pass the peach and thyme mixture through a fine sieve into the jug with the tea, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid and flavour as possible. Discard solids and thyme sprigs.
Step 5
Stir in the lemon juice and taste; add a little more honey if you prefer it sweeter. If using, chill briefly or serve immediately over ice.
Step 6
To serve, fill glasses with ice, pour the iced tea, top each with a splash of sparkling water if using, and garnish with a peach slice and a thyme sprig.
Nutritional Information
Per serving:
Energy - 69kcal
Protein - 1.1g
Carbohydrates - 17g
Fat - 0.1g
Fibre - 1.7g
This nutritional information is provided as a helpful estimate. Values may vary depending on the ingredients and portion sizes you use.
Recipe Notes
Use very ripe peaches for the best flavour and sweetness. The tea keeps chilled for up to 48 hours; stir before serving and add ice just before pouring.
