Sweet Tea Shaved Ice

Author: Layla Osberg

Summer isn’t summer without shaved ice—that sweet holiday dessert that brings to mind a rainbow of neon coloured flavours and long lineups, albeit immediate refreshment that cools you down. But shaved ice can be topped with beautiful and quality ingredients that can bring real flavour and colour to this heat-wave approved treat (hint: the ingredient is tea!).

In Murchie’s Iced Tea shopping category, find Lemon black tea that’s sparkling with fresh lemon that can be made into a simple syrup and blended into the perfect lemon sweet tea shaved ice; in the Summer Fruit Teas category Apricot, Raspberry and Strawberry black teas are fun and tasty options for sweet tea shaved ice.

Sweet/tart hibiscus flowers bring a fruity pop of red to summer favourite Pink Lemonade that’s zesty with lemongrass and citrus which makes it a shaved ice flavour winner; and our Rooibos teas like Pomegranate Rooibos or Mango Rooibos make a super healthy version of the dessert.

The Blueberry or Mango green teas from our Green Tea category are lightly perfumed and are a delightful addition to a shaved ice—try adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream to your bowl of green tea shaved ice for a superbly balanced flavourful and textural sensation.

I see more sun in the forecast—time to order some tea (and maybe a shaved ice machine).

Sweet Tea Shaved Ice

Ingredients

Tea Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 TBSP of either Pink Lemonade, Lemon, Mango Green or any tea of choice (if using tea bags, use 6)

Shaved Ice

• 6 ice cubes
• 1 cup cold water

Optional

• Juice of a lemon
• A few ounces of limoncello
• A scoop of vanilla ice cream

Directions

For the tea syrup: Steep tea in freshly boiled water for 3-5 minutes. Strain the tea into a small pot and add the sugar. Stir well until dissolved and bring to a boil.

Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

For the shaved ice: In a blender, add the ice, water, lemon juice and limoncello (if using) and all the tea syrup. Blend until smooth.

Divide tea into tumblers or bowls.