½cupgranulated sugarthis is reduced from original recipe but I found I could probably reduce it even more and it would still have a hint of sweetness without being too sweet
16whole cloves
16whole cardamomI bought mine from the bulk food spice section at Whole Foods so I only bought a little more than I needed but you can find it in jars, too, in the spice aisle of most grocery stores. Mine were already just the seeds and not in pods.
5cinnamon sticks
1teaspoonground ginger
For Serving:
1cupmilkor use foamed milk for hot tea
Instructions
Combine all ingredients except milk in 3-4 quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on HIGH 2 ½ hours.
When done, strain mixture and discard solids.
Cool to room temperature then pour into freezer cube trays. Transfer to freezer and freeze until solid (about 3 hours)
Transfer "tea cubes" to labeled freezer safe zip top bag.
For each serving, pull out enough cubes to measure a loose one cup (meaning, you just pile them up casually in a measuring cup--it doesn't need to be exact).
Put cubes in blender jar and add one cup of milk. Blend just until combine and still slushie.
Transfer to drinking glass and enjoy! Repeat for additional servings.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD TIP: This recipe is naturally make ahead because you use the slow cooker to make the tea mixture then freeze cubes to have on hand any time your ready for a serving of this refreshing drink. MONEY SAVING TIP:I purchase the harder to find spices like cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks from the bulk food section of my local grocery store. That way I only buy what I need and don't have a lot leftover. The price per pound may seem like a lot but spices are usually so lightweight you are only paying pennies for what you need and avoiding food waste!