Step 1
Place a 9 x 9 pan or equivalent into the freezer to chill, about 15 minutes.
Step 2
Place 1 cup (250 ml) of the water and ½ cup lime juice (125 ml) in the fridge to chill. Combine the remaining 2 cups (500 ml) water, the Redpath Simply Raw™ Turbinado Sugar, rosemary sprigs, and strips of lime zest in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer; 5 minutes.
Step 3
Remove from heat and add in the tea bags or sachet of looseleaf tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Add the fridge-cold water and lime juice, stir well and strain tea, gently pressing down on the tea bags through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl or pitcher. Discard tea, rosemary, and zest. Pour tea mixture into the chilled pan. Place into the freezer; 45 minutes.
Step 4
Use a metal fork or spoon to scrape and stir the mixture, incorporating the frozen edges with the less frozen areas. Spread out and freeze again. Repeat this process every 30 to 45 minutes for about 4 hours or until the iced tea resembles tiny shards of ice.
Step 1
While the tea mixture is freezing, combine cherries, the Redpath Simply Raw™ Turbinado Sugar, and water in the same saucepan used for the tea (no need to wash). Place over medium-high heat and stir until the cherry mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer while muddling the cherries with the back of the heatproof spatula; 10 minutes.
Step 2
Remove from heat and strain cherries through a fine mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or a jar, gently pressing down on the fruit to extract as much liquid as possible (see Chef’s Tips). Cool syrup to room temperature and place it into the fridge to chill completely.
Step 1
Once the iced tea slush is ready, scoop into small glasses.
Step 2
For the “cherry on top”, drizzle about 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml), or to taste, of the chilled cherry simple syrup over the top of the slush.
Step 3
Garnish with cherries, rosemary, or lime, if desired.
*Rosemary can be omitted or replaced with your favourite herb (thyme, basil, or mint).
*Cherries from the simple syrup can be incorporated into smoothies, spooned over yogurt, ice cream, or toast.
*Leftover cherry simple syrup can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
*If there is any leftover slush, store in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Before serving, place the slush into the fridge to soften for 30 minutes. Use a metal fork to scrape up the slush.
*This can be served as a dessert or as a frozen drink. For a refreshing iced tea, add a splash of club soda or sparkling water to the slush before adding the cherry syrup. Optional: add a shot of vodka or gin for an icy cocktail.
*Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar can be substituted for the Redpath Simply Raw™ Turbinado Sugar. Note that the resulting slush and cherry syrup may be slightly darker in colour and have a more pronounced caramel undertone than the original.
