Sun Kissed Raspberry Peach Lemonade (Print Version)
Bright iced tea lemonade with peach syrup, raspberries, lemon juice and black tea — chilled and ready for summer.
# What You Need:
→ Fruit Syrup
01 - 1 cup fresh raspberries
02 - 2 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 cup water
→ Tea and Lemonade Base
05 - 4 black tea bags
06 - 4 cups boiling water
07 - 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 to 5 lemons)
08 - 3/4 cup honey or agave syrup, adjusted to taste
→ Assembly
09 - Ice cubes
10 - Extra raspberries and peach slices, for garnish
11 - Fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)
# Directions:
01 - In a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, peach slices, sugar, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves and the fruit softens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the solids and let the syrup cool completely.
02 - Place the tea bags in a heatproof pitcher and pour the boiling water over them. Steep for 5 minutes, then remove and discard the tea bags. Allow the brewed tea to cool to room temperature.
03 - Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and honey or agave syrup to the cooled tea. Pour in the prepared fruit syrup and stir thoroughly until fully blended. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity as desired.
04 - Transfer the combined mixture to the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour, or until thoroughly cold.
05 - Fill serving glasses with ice cubes and pour the chilled tea lemonade over the ice. Garnish each glass with fresh raspberries, peach slices, and mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The fruit syrup alone is worth making, and once you drizzle it over everything from pancakes to cocktails you will never stop.
- It bridges the gap between lemonade and iced tea so perfectly that guests always ask what the secret ingredient is.
02 -
- Over steeping the tea bags beyond five minutes releases tannins that make the whole batch taste astringent and nothing will fix it.
- Pressing the fruit through the sieve aggressively is the key to a vibrant color and concentrated flavor.
03 -
- Taste your peaches before you start, as an under ripe one means you will need extra honey to compensate and the flavor will never be quite right.
- A pinch of salt in the fruit syrup rounds out the sweetness and makes the raspberry flavor pop in a way that surprises everyone.