Chrysanthemum Tea

Before you start

Chrysanthemum tea is made from whole dried flower heads and has been drunk across China and much of East and Southeast Asia for a very long time. It brews to a clear pale gold with a honeyed, slightly herbal aroma and a gentle bitterness at the finish. It contains no tea leaves, so it is naturally caffeine-free, and it is often served sweetened with rock sugar, either hot after a meal or chilled from a jug.

The flowers themselves decide most of the result. Small whole buds, often sold as gongju or taiju, give a delicate, sweet cup. Larger white or yellow flowers, such as hangbaiju, are more aromatic and slightly sharper. Use water just off the boil and steep longer than you would for leaf tea; the petals open slowly. Rock sugar adds a rounder sweetness than granulated sugar without hiding the floral notes.

Ingredients

• 5 g (about 12 to 15 small flowers or 2 tbsp) dried chrysanthemum flowers
• 500 ml (2 cups) water
• 15 to 20 g (1 to 1½ tbsp) rock sugar — or 1 tbsp granulated sugar, to taste
• 6 to 8 dried goji berries — optional

Method

1. Put the dried flowers in a strainer and rinse them briefly under cool running water to remove dust. Shake off the excess.
2. Bring the water to a boil and let it rest for about 30 seconds, until it is around 90 to 95°C (194 to 203°F).
3. Place the flowers, rock sugar and goji berries, if using, in the teapot. Pour over the hot water and stir once so the sugar starts dissolving.
4. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. The flowers will unfold and the tea should turn a clear honey-yellow.
5. Taste and add a little more sugar if you like. Strain into cups, or leave the flowers in the pot if you plan to drink it within a few minutes.
6. Refill the pot with fresh hot water for a second, lighter steep of 6 to 8 minutes. Most chrysanthemum flowers give two good infusions.

Tips for success

• Look for flowers with bright, intact petals and a clean floral smell. Dull brown flowers or a musty odor mean old stock.
• Use a glass teapot if you have one. Watching the flowers open is part of the appeal, especially for guests.
• Leave the flowers in no longer than about 15 minutes in total. Past that, the bitterness at the finish becomes harsh.

Substitutions

Rock sugar

Honey adds a heavier floral note; stir it in after steeping, once the tea has cooled slightly. Leaving the tea unsweetened brings the herbal bitterness forward.

Goji berries

A few slices of dried longan or a single dried red date add sweetness and body. They are optional and change the tea toward a richer, fruitier cup.

Chrysanthemum only

Mixing a pinch of green tea or pu-erh with the flowers, a style sometimes called guk po, adds depth and caffeine.

Variations

Chilled chrysanthemum jug

Simmer 10 g flowers with 40 g rock sugar in 1 liter of water for 5 minutes, strain, cool and refrigerate. Serve over ice.

Chrysanthemum and honeysuckle

Add 2 g of dried honeysuckle flowers with the chrysanthemum for a sweeter, more perfumed cup.

Troubleshooting

The tea tastes bitter

The flowers steeped too long or the water was boiling hard. Keep the steep to 5 minutes and let the kettle rest briefly before pouring.

It tastes weak and watery

Too few flowers for the volume of water, or the flowers are old. Use 5 g per 500 ml and replace stale stock.

The chilled tea is cloudy

Sugar and fine particles cloud as the tea cools. Strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter before refrigerating.

Storage

Drink hot tea the same day. Cool chilled tea quickly, refrigerate it in a covered jug and use within 2 days. Store dried flowers airtight in a cool, dark cupboard and use within about a year.

Safety notes

Chrysanthemum belongs to the daisy family. People with allergies to ragweed, daisies or related plants may react to it, so try a small amount first if you have those allergies.