Step 1
Start by combining the tea, cinnamon, star anise, five-spice, cloves, ginger, peppercorns, licorice, orange peel, rock sugar, and both dark and light soy sauces in a large saucepan. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and let it bubble away for about 15 minutes. While the mixture is simmering, gently tap your hard-cooked eggs all over with the back of a spoon to crack the shells—this helps the flavors seep in and gives the egg whites a nice color. Carefully add the eggs to the simmering liquid and let them cook for 30 minutes. Once that’s done, take the pan off the heat but leave the eggs in the liquid to soak for another two hours. After soaking, drain the eggs, pop them in the fridge to chill, and peel when you’re ready to eat.
