Black Tea
A simple cup of black tea, brewed properly. Steeping time and water temperature are the whole recipe — over-steep it and the tannins turn bitter, under-steep it and you get coloured water. A bright squeeze of lemon lifts the finish.
Equipment
- Small saucepan or kettle
- Mug or teapot
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 black tea bags or 2 tsp loose-leaf black tea
- 2 slices lemon optional
- Honey optional — omit to keep this keto
Instructions
- Heat the water: Bring the water to a full boil, then let it stand for about 30 seconds. Black tea wants water just off the boil, around 200°F.
- Steep the tea: Pour the water over the tea bags or loose leaves. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes — 3 for a lighter cup, 5 for a stronger one.
- Remove the tea: Lift out the bags or strain the leaves. Leaving them in past 5 minutes is what makes tea bitter.
- Finish and serve: Add a slice of lemon and sweeten if you like. Serve hot, or pour over ice for iced tea.
Frequently Asked Questions About Black Tea
Three to five minutes. Three gives a lighter cup, five a stronger one. Past five minutes the tannins keep extracting and the tea turns bitter — that astringent edge people blame on cheap tea is usually just over-steeping.
No. A cup of black tea has roughly 40 to 70mg of caffeine, against 95 to 165mg for the same size cup of brewed coffee. It’s about half, which is why black tea suits an afternoon cup better than a second coffee does.
Plain black tea has around 2 calories per cup and no sugar, so it will not break a fast in any practical sense. Adding honey, milk or cream is what changes that — the tea itself is essentially free.
