Making Stevia Extract

Heat 2 cups of purified water almost to the boiling point. Remove the pan from the heat, add ¼ cup of finely crushed or powdered dried stevia leaves, and stir. Cover and steep the herb overnight. If steeping in a pan, use glass or enamel. Pour the liquid extract off from the settled herbs in the bottom of the pan, then strain the liquid through a cheesecloth. Place the cheesecloth inside a strainer and pour over a bowl or pan. More of the herb powder will settle to the bottom. Don’t mix it in. Pour the extract off, if you prefer. The extract has a better flavor once all the powder has settled. Keep in a covered container in the refrigerator. The extract will be dark greenish black in color.

This method of extraction produces the most pleasant-tasting extract. It is less bitter than an extract that has been cooked by simmering or boiling and has a nice, sweet, licorice-like taste. It is not a very concentrated sweetener, however. It takes about 1 or 2 tablespoons of extract to sweeten 1 cup of tea. This can vary a lot depending on the stevioside content of the herb.

To make a stronger concentrate. let the tea stand for several minutes, then pour the liquid extract off from the sediment in the bottom. Simmer the liquid on very low heat in an uncovered pan until reduced by half. Keep refrigerated. The extract will be twice as strong but may become more bitter.