inventive uses for iced tea?

[TSQ75]

so i just made the annual visit to Bojangles for their "Tailgate Special" which inevitably comes with a 1/2 gallon of over-sweetened iced tea. we just arent iced tea drinkers, and especially not that stuff, but i'm thinking there has to be something i can do with it other than toss it down the drain?

i could probably cook it down to some concentrated syrup which might be fun, but what else?

other than fun beverage applications, I dont know that i can necessarily cook with it, or that its flavor would make for a decen braise or glaze or reduction. desserts? like the 7-up cakes i've always heard about?

come on, i'm sure there's some ridicullous foodie application for this mundane ingredient...dont let me down chow people!

[sedimental]

I would make ice cubes, then make myself a Long Island Ice tea drink and use the ice cubes in it!

[bushwickgirl]

+1 on the punch, Arnold Palmer/lemonade mix, which I drink lots of in the summer, and ice cube ideas. I also like Cheryl's glaze reduction and bbq sauce base suggestions.

[TorontoJo]

If you have room in the freezer, I'd make ice cubes with them. Then use them instead of regular ice cubes for cocktails or even just juice.

[LoBrauHouseFrau]

I was going to suggest this also. I make them in the summer and put them in lemonade.

[greygarious]

It can be used in punch - add ginger ale and fruit juice. Unsweetened cranberry juice suits the season and will counteract the sugar. Some lemon slices, too.

I'll bet it would make decent jello - one packet of Knox unflavored to 2 cups of liquid, and add some favorite citrus fruit once it starts to thicken.

[Cherylptw]

I'd use it to make a glaze or reduction, you can add other flavors to it for a boost. I'd reduce it with some fresh lime juice & zest and maybe some ancho chili powder to use for shrimp, scallops or salmon as well as pork or chicken. I might also add it to a bbq sauce recipe to cook down for pulled pork or turkey.

On the dessert front, again with the citrus, perhaps mandarin or orange to make a drizzle to top beignets or perhaps a gelee, flan, granita or sorbet. I've used sweet tea as a base for other flavored teas. For Christmas, I made mango tea in which I used unsweetened tea and mango nectar; served with sliced lime and it was just sweet enough the way I like it. Other flavors can be used and for a refreshing drink called the Arnold Palmer, use the tea with a package of unsweetened lemon ade kool aid mix. Makie ice cubes which can be put into bags & frozen for later use.

[ediblover]

Well, it's sugar water, so you can substitute it for anything that calls for fruit juice and whatnot.

One thing that sticks out in my mind is to do a take on a traditional tea party, but take the iced tea and make dessert like a brittle or ice cream. Serve with sweet/fresh items from a tea party, like scones and finger sandwiches.

[hotoynoodle]

but you don't use water in brittle or ice cream.

[hotoynoodle]

if it's not something you want to ingest (and it was free), why throw good money at it and ruin other ingredients? give it away if you must. it sounds nasty.