Sweet Hibiscus Tea

Sweet Hibiscus Tea is refreshingly tart, beautiful, easy to make and delicious served as an herbal iced sweet tea. Once you learn how to make hibiscus tea with dried hibiscus and this recipe you’ll be making all sorts of hibiscus drinks!

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• Agua de Jamaica
• Ingredients
• Step by step instructions
• Shelf life
• 📖 Recipe

Agua de Jamaica

A refreshing and tart caffeine free herbal infusion, Hibiscus Tea, commonly known as Agua de Jamaica, carcade or pink tea, depending on where you are in the world, is actually a tisane. The only difference between the two is that teas are made from the Camellia Sinensis plant. And tisanes are made from anything else.

This tart hibiscus juice, or hibiscus agua fresca, is similar to cranberry juice or even fruit punch.

With a high antioxidant, beta-carotene, vitamin C and citric acid content hibiscus tea benefits are known to be wide ranging! Hibiscus benefits include everything from lowering blood pressure, helping hair growth and being good for the skin. And it is even known as a magical plant in Africa thought to have the power to open the mind to reading the future, provoke love and give rise to sexual desire.

You can enjoy the infusion like an iced hibiscus tea or make a hibiscus drink or hibiscus tea cocktail. Once you learn how to make hibiscus tea with dried hibiscus you will be looking for all sorts of ways to enjoy this delicious herbal tea.

Ingredients

• Hibiscus flower – there are many different varieties of hibiscus but the species of flowering plant used to make hibiscus tea is hibiscus sabdariffa. Pronounced HIGH-BISS-KUSS or the British English pronunciation of HEE-BISS-KUSS, this edible flower is native to Africa. Hibiscus is known as roselle or karkadeh, pundi palle and a variety of other names in Asia and Africa. And as saril, sorrel, or Flor de Jamaica in Central America and the Caribbean. You can find hibiscus fresh but usually you can find it as hibiscus dried flower. You can find the dried hibiscus flowers at almost any Mexican market (usually labeled “flor de Jamaica”), or you can order them online. If you are unable to find hibiscus flowers you can also substitute Red Zinger or Tazo Passion Tea which are both hibiscus teas.
• Granulated sugar – or substitute honey to make a delicious hibiscus and honey drink. This recipe is for a sweet iced tea, but of course the amount of sugar can be adjusted to your own personal tastes. Feel free to leave it out entirely to make plain hibiscus tea even if you’d like.
• Optional – citrus juice like lime juice or even a slice of orange for garnish.

Step by step instructions

1. Combine granulated sugar with dried hibiscus flowers in a large heatproof bowl or pitcher.
2. Set a pot of water to boil on the stovetop or microwave until boiling.
3. Stir boiling water into hibiscus and sugar mixture.
4. Steep for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture reaches desired color and concentration. Herbal teas are a lot easier to brew than other types of teas since it doesn’t get overly bitter if brewed for more than 5 minutes so don’t worry if it steeps for longer.
5. At this point you can serve the hibiscus tea hot. But to make iced tea place ice in a large pitcher and place a fine mesh strainer over top.
6. Carefully pour hibiscus infusion through the strainer over ice to quickly cool.
7. Add additional sweetener to taste and any other optional mixins like lime juice.
8. Serve over ice.
9. Enjoy!

Shelf life

Store refrigerated for up to 4 days.

📖 Recipe

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