Iced Liu Bao with Dried Longan and Date
Cold-brewed Liu Bao sweetened naturally with dried longan and red date—a smooth, earthy, mineral iced tea that's deeply refreshing without being sweet.
Liu Bao makes a surprisingly elegant iced tea. Cold-brewing this dark tea draws out its smooth, woody, mineral character while keeping it utterly free of bitterness, producing a deep amber glass that is refreshing and savory rather than sharp.
To round out the earthy base, this version infuses dried longan and red date along with the tea. These traditional Chinese sweet fruits melt a gentle, honeyed sweetness into the brew, so you get natural sweetness and extra body without reaching for sugar.
Cold extraction is the key technique. Steeping the leaves and dried fruit slowly in cold water overnight coaxes out a velvety smoothness that hot-brewed-then-chilled tea can never match, and it tames any rough edges into pure, rounded flavor.
Serve it over plenty of ice for a hot afternoon. It is the kind of grounding, gently energizing iced tea that pairs well with savory snacks and feels nourishing rather than just thirst-quenching—a sophisticated alternative to sugary iced drinks.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Liu Bao tea leaves
- 4 cups cold filtered water
- 8 dried longan (peeled)
- 2 dried red dates (jujubes), halved
- Ice cubes
- Lemon slice to garnish (optional)
How to make it
- 1Briefly rinse the Liu Bao leaves with a splash of hot water and discard the rinse.
- 2Place the rinsed leaves, dried longan, and red dates in a large jar.
- 3Pour over the cold filtered water, stir, and cover.
- 4Refrigerate 8–12 hours, then strain out the leaves and fruit.
- 5Serve over ice in tall glasses, with a slice of lemon if you like.
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