Korean Daisy Tea (Delicate Floral Pear Honey Brew)

Quick answer

Total time: 13 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Gujeolcho-cha is a traditional Korean flower tea made by steeping dried gujeolcho blossoms -- a wild chrysanthemum native to Korea -- in water heated to around ninety degrees Celsius for five minutes over low heat.

Boiling above one hundred degrees causes the volatile aromatic compounds in the petals to evaporate, weakening the delicate floral fragrance that makes the tea worth drinking, so a gentle infusion rather than a rolling boil is the non-negotiable foundation of the preparation. Thin julienned pear added to the cup brings a light, juicy sweetness that pairs naturally with the floral notes without competing against them. A single drop of lemon juice sharpens the overall flavor profile, giving the tea cleaner edges than it would have without the acidity. Honey balances and deepens the sweetness, and pine nuts floated on the surface contribute a subtle, rounded oiliness that grounds the otherwise light liquid. Gujeolcho blooms in the ninth lunar month and belongs to the chrysanthemum family; it has been consumed as a folk remedy for women's health for centuries in Korea, adding cultural weight to a tea that is otherwise valued simply for its fragrance and calm.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
dried gujeolcho flowers	6	g
water	500	ml
Korean pear	60	g
honey	1	tbsp
lemon juice	1	tsp
pine nuts	1	tsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Peel 60g of Korean pear and cut it into very fine julienne so it softens quickly in the hot tea.

Place 6g of dried gujeolcho flowers in a fine sieve and shake gently to remove only loose dust.
2

Control

Pour 500ml of water into a small pot and warm it over medium heat.

When tiny bubbles cling to the edge and the water is around 90C, lower the heat before it reaches a rolling boil.
3

Heat

Add the prepared gujeolcho flowers and stir once just to submerge the petals.

Keep only a gentle movement in the water, because vigorous boiling will drive off the delicate floral aroma.
4

Control

Steep over low heat for only 5 minutes.

Stop as soon as the liquid turns clear and pale golden with a gentle floral scent, since a longer extraction can make the tea dull rather than fragrant.
5

Step

Strain the tea through a fine sieve into cups so no petals remain in the drink.

Add the julienned pear to each cup and let the hot tea slightly soften it while keeping a light crunch.
6

Finish

Stir in 1tbsp honey and 1tsp lemon juice gently so the clear tea does not turn cloudy from overmixing.

Taste for sweetness and acidity, then float 1tsp pine nuts on top and serve warm.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Gujeolcho-cha preserves delicate chrysanthemum oils through a precise five-minute steep.
Finish cue: Stop as soon as the liquid turns clear and pale golden with a gentle floral scent, since a longer extraction can make the tea dull rather than fragrant.
Substitution: Apple can replace pear for a similarly fresh profile.