How to Make Loose Leaf Tea
Servings: 2 cups
The proper way to make British loose leaf tea.
Special Equipment
- 1 teapot (2-4 cups, preferably made in the UK or Europe/USA)
- 1 kettle
Instructions
Warm the teapot:
- Boil about a cup of water in the kettle, and pour it into the teapot. Put the lid on and leave it.
Make the tea:
- Add the cold water to the kettle and just before it comes to a boil, empty the hot water from the teapot, and bring it over to the kettle. Add the loose leaf tea directly into the teapot (or you can use an infuser if you have one). Pour the boiling water into the teapot, and close the lid.
Steep the tea:
- Set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes (I prefer 5 minutes), and allow the loose leaf tea to brew. If you have a tea cosy, you can put it on the teapot.
Notes
- It is critical to the flavor of the tea for the water to be boiling, but don't let it boil for long. Don't re-boil water, either.
- Use good quality loose leaf tea for the best results.
- Add the milk after pouring the tea. (Do not add cream to British tea, only whole milk.)
- Sugar is optional.
- If you have a tea strainer, you can use it to catch any stray leaves that may go into your cup. However, the tea leaves fall to the bottom of the pot, so it's not necessary. Any stray leaves that may go into your cup will also fall to the bottom, so just give your tea a second to settle if you stir it with a spoon. Once you have made tea a few times, you will get a feel for how you like to make it: more or less tea leaves, or water, how long to steep it, etc.