Spiced Winter Red Cordial Base Recipe

The recipe

Exact quantities, then the method.

This is a Rooibos cordial for the colder months: a concentrated, caffeine-free syrup of rooibos with cinnamon, clove, star anise and orange. Top it with hot water for an instant mulled-style cup, with soda for a festive long drink, or with apple juice for a no-alcohol punch. Rooibos brews strong without going bitter, so the base stays clean and sweet.

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the Spiced Winter Red Cordial Base recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/iced-tea/spiced-winter-red-cordial-base/

It uses Teapigs Spiced Winter Red, a caffeine-free spiced rooibos blend. Fifteen minutes, and it makes about 500ml.

⏱ 15 min 🍽 Makes about 500ml 📊 Easy 📚 Iced Tea Recipes

You'll need

6 Teapigs Spiced Winter Red tea temples
400ml water
250g caster sugar
Juice and pared zest of 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
2 star anise, optional

Method

Boil the water, add the 6 temples and the extra spices, and steep 8 minutes. Rooibos cannot over brew, so a long steep deepens the spice with no bitterness.
Lift the temples out, return the brew to the pan with the sugar and orange zest, and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Simmer gently 6 minutes to a light syrup, stir in the orange juice, then take off the heat.
Cool, strain out the zest and whole spices, and pour into a clean bottle.
For a mulled style hot cup, mix 1 part base with 4 parts just boiled water. Festive soda: 1 part base, 4 parts cold soda. Punch: dilute to taste with apple juice.
Keeps 2 weeks in the fridge; caffeine free, so good for evening and for children.

What you'll end up with: A glossy, deeply spiced rooibos cordial that turns into a warm mulled cup, a fizzy seasonal drink or a punch base in seconds. Caffeine-free, and it keeps a fortnight.

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