roasted strawberry, mint and rose iced tea

this is a gorgeous non-alcoholic drink and well worth making if you find strawberries cheap – the first german strawberries are in the shops which means that everything non-local is suddenly half price, so i stocked up.

the quick roasting of the strawberries helps soften them so they release their juices and flavour. choosing good mint tea is, i think, important as the flavour really shines through and gives the drink it’s refreshing character (on the day i made this it was the strawberry flavour that came through but one day later and it’s the mint). the rose adds a lovely floral note.

honey & co’s roasted strawberry and rose iced tea (serves 8-10)

200g strawberries, hulled, halved, stalks removed

100g sugar

1.5 litres water

1 tbsp dried mint (or 2 mint teabags)

a handful of fresh, unsprayed rose petals, or 1-2 tsp rose water

ice cubes, to serve

fresh mint leaves, to serve

fresh strawberries, to serve

preheat the oven to 210c. mix the strawberries and sugar in a roasting tin and cook in the centre of the oven for 5 minutes.

boil the water, add the mint and rose petals, then stir. turn off the heat and infuse for 15 minutes. if you are using rose water rather than rose petals, add 1 tsp and taste to see whether you want to add another (i suggest you taste it when it is chilled as this will affect the strength of the flavours). add the roasted strawberries and leave to infuse again, this time for 10 minutes. strain and decant into a serving jug, then chill the tea in the fridge.

to serve, pile ice cubes into glasses, then add ice, mint leaves and some fresh strawberry slices in each glass, and top up with the iced tea.