Chrysanthemum Tea with Goji Berries
A fragrant, gently sweet Chinese herbal tea made by steeping dried chrysanthemum blossoms with plump goji berries and rock sugar. Floral, soothing and caffeine-free, it's lovely hot after a meal or in the evening.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 23 min
- Makes
- About 4 cups (950 ml), 4 servings
Steps
Before you start
- Buy whole dried chrysanthemum flowers (often labeled 'ju hua' or 'gong ju') from an Asian grocer; they should smell sweetly floral, not musty.
- Use filtered water if your tap water is hard or strongly flavored, since this tea is delicate.
- Rock sugar comes in irregular lumps; break any very large pieces into roughly 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks so they dissolve evenly.
- Goji berries are naturally sweet, so start with the lower amount of sugar and add more at the end if you like.
Rinse the flowers
- Place the chrysanthemum flowers in a small bowl and pour in 1/2 cup (120 ml) room-temperature water.
- Swirl gently for 10 seconds, then drain through a fine-mesh strainer.
- This removes dust without bruising the blossoms.
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Ready when: Water drains off clear and the flowers look slightly moist, not soaked.
Tip: Rinse quickly; soaking leaches out fragrance.
Rinse the goji berries
- Put the goji berries in the strainer and run them under cool water for about 5 seconds.
- Shake off the excess water.
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Ready when: Berries are bright red-orange and just damp.
Tip: Don't soak them; they will plump in the hot tea instead.
Heat the waterOven 200°F / 95°C
- Pour 4 cups (945 ml) water into the saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and let it stand 1 minute so it drops just below boiling, around 200°F (93°C).
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Ready when: Large, rolling bubbles break the surface steadily, then settle after resting.
Tip: Water that is fully boiling can make chrysanthemum taste slightly bitter.
Dissolve the sugar
- Add the rock sugar to the hot water and stir for 1 minute.
- Return the pan to low heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved completely.
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Ready when: No crystals are visible at the bottom of the pan and the water looks clear.
Tip: Keep the heat low; the water should steam but not bubble.
Add flowers and berries
- Place the rinsed chrysanthemum flowers and goji berries in the teapot or pitcher.
- Pour the hot sweetened water over them.
- The flowers will float and slowly unfurl.
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Ready when: All the flowers are submerged or floating in the water and the berries begin to sink and swell.
Tip: Pour gently so the blossoms stay intact.
Steep the tea
- Cover the pot with its lid or a small plate and steep for 8 to 10 minutes.
- The tea will turn pale golden-yellow and smell strongly floral.
- Taste and, if you want it sweeter, stir in a little more rock sugar.
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Ready when: Tea is clear pale gold, goji berries are plump, and the aroma is floral and lightly honeyed.
Tip: Covering traps the aromatic oils that otherwise escape with the steam.
Strain and serve
- Pour the tea through the fine-mesh strainer into the cups, catching the flowers.
- Divide the plumped goji berries among the cups, which are good to eat.
- Serve hot.
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Ready when: Tea is clear with no floating petal bits.
Tip: Leave the flowers in the pot if you prefer a stronger second cup; they can be re-steeped once or twice.
Good to know
Tips
- Re-steep the same flowers once or twice with fresh hot water; the second infusion is usually the most mellow.
- Use a clear glass teapot so you can watch the flowers open.
- Don't boil the flowers; gentle steeping keeps the tea floral rather than bitter or grassy.
- Chrysanthemum tea is traditionally served without milk, and the sweetness should stay subtle.
Make ahead
Brew the tea, strain it, and refrigerate in a covered jar for up to 2 days to enjoy cold or reheated.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 2 days in a covered jar, strained. Freezer: not recommended. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat until steaming, or serve over ice.
Substitutions
- rock sugar → honey or light brown sugar. Use 1 tablespoon (20 g) honey, stirred in after the tea has cooled slightly to about 140°F (60°C), or the same weight of brown sugar. Flavor will be slightly stronger.
- dried goji berries → dried red dates (jujubes). Use 3 to 4 pitted, halved dates; simmer them in the water for 5 minutes before adding the flowers.
- dried chrysanthemum flowers → chrysanthemum tea bags. Use 2 to 3 bags; steep for 5 to 6 minutes, as the broken flowers infuse faster.
- filtered water → none. Use filtered or spring water for the cleanest taste.