Christmas Tea (Peruvian Style) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 quarts water
1 large Granny Smith apple, cubed
10 Wuyi tea bags
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 coffee filter
1 (4-inch piece) kitchen string
1 cup anisette liqueur
2 (1 gram) packets sucralose sweetener (such as Splenda(R)), or to taste

Preparation

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat. Add apple and tea bags. Let stand, about 5 minutes.
Place cinnamon, peppercorns, allspice, and cloves in the coffee filter. Tie securely with kitchen string and add to the saucepan. Steep until flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Discard apple. Steep tea for 5 minutes more.
Strain tea into serving cups. Add 2 tablespoons anisette liqueur and some sweetener to each cup.