The sun has finally broken through! After a full week of absolutely miserable weather, I can finally see the sun poking its head out through the clouds. I can not remember the last time that we had bad weather like that for as long as we did. But hopefully it is over for good and the weather only continues to get warmer (and drier). Not only for my sake but for my cousin who has planned for an outdoor wedding this upcoming week.
*Fingers crossed*
In honor of this turning point in the weather, I wanted to make something cool and refreshing to go along with the better weather. Because you never know how long it is going to be here before it’s gone again. Hopefully, a very long time.
Giving a bit of a nod back to the time I spent in the south and my love for Thai food, I was inspired both by Southern sweet tea and Thai Iced Tea when making this recipe.
There is just something about iced tea in general that screams summertime no matter the actual flavor of the tea. It may have been conditioned in me at a young age because it’s something that my mom has always loved. I have very clear memories of her drinking it every time we were out at the lake. And now as I’m getting older, I’m finding myself to be liking the same things.
In truth, I didn’t like the sweet tea that you could get at restaurants or on campus already made. It always ended up being too sweet for me. And that is coming from a mega sweet tooth junkie. I did, however, like the sweet tea that some of my friends, native to the south, made at home.
*Side note: If you are ever in a restaurant in the South and want an iced tea without all the sugar, you better say unsweetened ice tea or they will automatically assume you mean sweet iced tea. Boy, will that sugar shock you right awake after the first sip!
Not surprisingly, the balance of sweet and creamy is the perfect combination even in a drink form. The coconut cream gives the usual lightness of sweet tea a bit more depth to it and also a richer taste. It also helps to cut some of the sweetness even though the cream is sweetened itself. It’s a very odd occurrence. I know. But apparently, light sweet plus thick sweet does not equal overly sweet.
But since coconut cream is so sensitive to colder temperatures, it will begin to thicken up even more after pouring over ice. This may look like the cream is congealing or just plain odd. Don’t worry. Simply stir in the cream and you will be greeted with this adorably cute pink color and a delicious drink that will absolutely make the perfect addition to any summer day.
- 8 cups water
- 3/4-1 cup sugar
- 8 Hibiscus Tea Bags
- 1 can coconut cream (5.4 oz)
- In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add in sugar and oil to cook, stirring occasionally, until the combination thickens up slightly.
- In another pot, bring the rest of the water to a boil (6 cups). Remove from heat and add the tea bags, allowing to steep for 6-7 minutes.
- Remove tea bags from the pot and add half of the sugar and water mixture to the tea. Allow to cool before pouring into a container and placing in the fridge.
- Add coconut cream to remaining sugar and water mixture. Cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before also placing in the fridge.
- Fill glass with ice and pour tea until 3/4 of the glass is full. Add more ice if necessary before pouring cream in until full. Stir until a light even pink color appears and enjoy~
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