Orange Spiced Tea Food

ORANGE ICE TEA

Steps:

• Special equipment: a 60-ounce (7 1/2 cups) pitcher
• For the syrup: In a small saucepan, bring the orange juice and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 20 minutes.
• For the tea: In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the tea bags and remove the pan from the heat. Allow the tea to steep and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard. Pour the tea and syrup into a pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To serve: Pour the sparkling water into the pitcher and add the orange slices. Pour the tea into 4 ice-filled glasses. Garnish with fresh mint, or basil, and serve.

PINEAPPLE-ORANGE SPICED TEA

Steps:

• In a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker, combine boiling water and tea bags. Cover and let stand 5 minutes., Meanwhile, place cinnamon sticks, ginger and cloves on a double thickness of cheesecloth. Gather corners of cloth to enclose seasonings; tie securely with string. Discard tea bags. Stir in remaining ingredients; add spice bag. Cook, covered, on low until heated through, 2-3 hours. Discard spice bag. Stir before serving. If desired, serve with pomegranate seeds and lemon slices.

HOT SPICED TEA FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Steps:

• Pour water into a pot; add cloves and cinnamon stick. Bring water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags to water and set aside to steep until the tea is to your preferred strength, at least 5 minutes. Remove and discard cloves, cinnamon stick, and tea bags.
• Stir orange juice, sugar, pineapple juice, and lemon juice together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook and stir the juice mixture until the sugar dissolves completely. Pour juice mixture into the spiced tea; serve hot.

ORANGE SPICE TEA MIX

Steps:

• Stir all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container.
• To use: Add about 2 heaping tablespoons to a mug or cup of hot water. Stir thoroughly.

SPICED ORANGE TEA, HOT OR COLD

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar, cloves & cinnamon in a saucepan, mix & bring to the boil.
• Remove from heat & add tea bags, infuse for 4 minutes.
• Strain & stir in remaining ingredients.
• Place over a low heat to keep warm but do not boil.
• Discard orange peel & add honey to taste, (I added about 1 tsp per cup).
• Serve with long cinnamon sticks as mixers.

SPICED ORANGE BLOSSOM TEA CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, orange blossom water, salt, baking soda, cloves and allspice. Add the softened butter, working it into the dry ingredients with your hands until fully incorporated. Add the egg and vanilla extract and gently knead the dough until it comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat a grill to 350 degrees F. (See Cook's Note)
• Roll out the dough to roughly 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured piece of parchment. Punch out six 3-inch rounds, re-rolling the dough once if necessary. Place the dough rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure they are evenly spaced.
• Place the baking sheet over indirect heat on the grill. Bake the tea cakes until set but still pale, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the grill and allow to cool. Additional garnishes can be added to the top of the tea cakes. I enjoy adding a sprinkle of allspice at the end.

HOT SPICED CIDER TEA

Steps:

• Lightly crush the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle or on a cutting board with the bottom of a saucepan. Transfer to a medium saucepan, add the ginger, citrus peels. Put the crushed spices in a medium saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, until aromatic, and the cinnamon stick opens a bit, about 10 minutes. Add the tea bags, immediately remove from the heat, and steep for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove the tea bags, and add the cider and juice of 1 orange. Return the pan to a medium heat and warm, taking care not to let the tea boil. Serve hot.

SPICED TEA

Steps:

• In a large kettle or Dutch oven over medium heat, bring 1 qt. of water to a boil. Remove from the heat; add tea bags. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. , Place cloves and cinnamon sticks in a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with a string (or, if desired, place loose spices in pan and strain tea before serving). , Place the cheesecloth bag in pan; add the concentrates, sugar, tea and remaining water; bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, for 6 minutes. Serve hot.

INSTANT SPICED TEA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container. , For one serving: Pour 1 cup boiling water into a mug; stir in 1 tablespoon tea mix until dissolved.

RUSSIAN TEA MIX (ORANGE SPICED TEA)

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together and store in a covered container.
• To use, dissolve 2 tsp mix in one cup of hot water.

ORANGE TEA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine water, orange juice concentrate, sugar, lemon juice and tea. Tie the cloves in a small cheesecloth bag; add to saucepan. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Remove spice bag. Serve hot. Store leftovers in glass container in refrigerator.