Blueberry Milk Tea Cooler (Printable version)
A chilled blend of blueberry syrup, robust black tea, and milk poured over ice and finished with fresh blueberries and mint.
# What you'll need:
→ Blueberry Syrup
01 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons water
→ Tea and Milk
04 - 2 black tea bags (Assam or English Breakfast)
05 - 1 cup boiling water
06 - 1 cup milk (whole, oat, or almond)
07 - 2 teaspoons honey (optional)
→ To Serve
08 - 1 cup ice cubes
09 - Fresh blueberries and mint leaves for garnish (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Combine blueberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries burst and the mixture thickens slightly. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing the berries to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids and let the syrup cool.
02 - Pour boiling water over the black tea bags and steep for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bags and let the tea cool to room temperature.
03 - Combine the cooled tea, milk, blueberry syrup, and honey in a shaker or large glass. Stir or shake until well blended.
04 - Divide the ice cubes between two tall glasses. Pour the blueberry milk tea mixture over the ice and stir gently.
05 - Top with fresh blueberries and mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The blueberry syrup alone is worth making, and it turns ordinary tea into something that tastes like it came from a specialty shop.
- You probably already have everything you need, which means no special shopping trip and more time enjoying your afternoon.
02 -
- Squeezing the berries through the sieve with the back of a spoon takes a little patience, but skipping this step leaves behind a surprising amount of flavor and color.
- Let the tea and syrup cool fully before combining, because warm liquids will melt the ice instantly and leave you with a watered down drink.
03 -
- Taste your blueberries before measuring the sugar, because a pint from the farmers market will need less sweetening than something that has been sitting in the fridge for a week.
- Cracking your ice cubes by wrapping them in a towel and giving them a quick smash with a spoon makes the drink chill faster and look more like something from a real tea shop.