How to make boba tea – get behind the craze that is bubble tea

Bubble tea, also known as pearl tea or boba tea is a drink created in Taiwan in the 1980s. It is a cold drink which consists of tea, milk and the so-called tapioca pearls. That is exactly what sets it apart from the regular teas which are being drunk around the world. Lately boba tea has been taking the world by storm. What’s more, there are even specific bubble tea shops which offer these teas in different flavors. So, today we are going to show you how to make boba tea at home. Furthermore, we are going to provide a recipe for homemade tapioca pearls as well as a few desserts you can create with them.

Bubble tea is so easy to make at home

How to make boba?

Boba tea is a three ingredients drink. First of all you need a base. This base can be tea, milk, or both mixed together. Of course, you can always experiment and try different bases. The second ingredients are the tapioca pearls. However, they also have a few substitutes you can use, such as jellies, coconut meat or even blueberries. And, the third and final ingredients is the sweetener. You can choose any type of sweetener you want. You can go for simple syrup, sugar, honey, maple syrup, basically you can add anything you want to create your own bubble tea recipe.

A simple three ingredient drink

You can’t have bubble tea without tapioca pearls, so here’s how to make them at home

How to make tapioca pearls?

Ingredients:

For the pearls:

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup tapioca starch

For the syrup:

• 6 cups water
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar

This is all you need to make tapioca pearls

Instructions:

For the pearls:

1. Over medium high heat bring to a boil the water and sugar. Reduce to medium and gradually add half of the tapioca starch while stirring. Keep stirring and fold the mixture together until dough is formed.
2. Transfer to a clean surface and knead the dough with wet hands. Divide into four parts and roll each part into a thing log. Cut the logs into small pieces. Roll the pieces to form balls. Place onto a tray dusted with tapioca starch. Once the balls are ready place into a sifter and shake the excess starch.

To cook with the syrup:

1. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and add the raw tapioca pearls. Reduce heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
2. Add the sugar and stir well, bring to a boil again and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Step-by-step tutorial

Source: The Little Epicurean

And now a simple recipe for boba tea

How to make boba tea?

Ingredients:

• tapioca pearls
• 5g black tea
• 50ml milk of your choice
• 1 tbsp sweetener of your choice (or you can use the syrup from the tapioca pearls)

Easy and simple

Instructions:

1. Put the black tea into 250ml boiling water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
2. Add the milk and sweetener of your choice.
3. Transfer to a glass and add the tapioca pearls.

Voila!

Source: Carina Berry

Bubble tea recipe #2

How to make bubble tea?

Ingredients:

For the tea:

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 tbsp black tea

For the syrup:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar

For the tapioca balls:

• 3/4 cup tapioca balls
• 4 cups water

For the froth:

• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

The ingredients you are going to need

Instructions:

For the tea:

1. Boil the water and add the black tea and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Strain the tea.

For the syrup:

1. Stir hot water and dark brown sugar until the sugar dissolves.

For the tapioca balls:

1. Boil the water and add the tapioca balls. Once they start floating to the surface, cover and let simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.
2. Strain the tapioca balls and combine them with the syrup. Let cool.

For the froth:

1. Lightly whip the heavy cream with the sugar for about 10 seconds.

To assemble:

1. Spoon in the tapioca balls with the syrup and add to a glass. Top with ice, black tea and cream froth.

Delicious!

Source: Oh How Civilized

Matcha bubble tea recipe

How to make matcha bubble tea?

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp matcha green tea
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup tapioca pearls
• 4 cups water
• 1-2 tbsp honey
• 2 cups milk of your choice
• 1 cup ice

This is everything you are going to need

Instructions:

1. Whisk the matcha powder in the hot water and let cool.
2. Bring water to a boil and add the tapioca pearls. Cook according to package instructions. Strain them and add the honey. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
3. Divide the pearls into two glasses and top with ice and milk. Finally, add the matcha tea.

So simple to make

Source: Real and Vibrant

Dalgona coffee recipe with tapioca pearls

How to make Dalgona coffee with tapioca pearls?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup tapioca pearls
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp instant coffee
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 cup milk of your choice
• 2 tbsp boiling water
• ice

This whipped cream coffee is so easy to make

Instructions:

1. Cook the tapioca pearls according to package instructions. Drain and add the maple syrup. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Mix the instant coffee, sugar and boiling water. Use a hand mixer and whisk together until thick and frothy.
3. In a glass spoon in the boba, add ice, milk and top with the whipped coffee.

Source: Kitchen Confidante

Easy and delicious boba tea cupcakes recipe

How to make boba tea cupcakes?

Ingredients:

For the tea infusion prep:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 8 bags black tea

For the cupcakes

• 1/2 cup tea infused milk
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup tea infused butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cup cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

For the brown sugar boba:

• 1 cup tapioca balls
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

For the milk tea butter cream

• 1/2 cup tea infused butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp tea infused milk

Instructions:

For the tea infusion prep:

1. Melt butter, add 4 black tea bags and let steep for 30 minutes. Return to low heat and re-melt the butter. Remove from heat and let tea steep additional 30 minutes. Return to low heat, melt the butter again and strain out the tea bags. Refrigerate the butter.
2. Bring milk to a simmer and add 4 black tea bags. Let simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain out tea bags and refrigerate the milk.

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl of a stand mixer mix together 1/2 cup tea infused butter with 3/4 cup sugar. Add milk and egg mixture. Mix until fully combined.
3. In a bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add it to the bowl of the stand mixer and mix until fully combined.
4. Transfer the mixture to paper lined muffin baking tray and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool.

For the brown sugar boba:

1. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil and add the tapioca pearls. Cook for 40 minutes.
2. Reduce heat and let simmer for additional 15 minutes. Add the brown sugar and let simmer until it is fully dissolved. Allow to slightly cool.

For the buttercream:

1. Use the rest of the tea infused butter and add more unsalted butter until you reach about 1/2 cup.
2. In a stand mixer cream the butter, then add the powdered sugar in three additions. Add vanilla, salt, 3 tbsp of the remaining tea infused milk. Mix well.

To assemble:

1. Scoop out a little circle in the middle of the cupcakes.
2. Spoon 2 tsp of the brown sugar boba into each circle.
3. Use a cookie scoop to cover with the buttercream and use a little spatula to create a little crater in the center of the buttercream.
4. Spoon a little of the brown sugar boba in the crater.

Source: The Little Epicurean

Milk tea flan recipe

How to make milk tea flan?

Ingredients:

For the boba:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup tapioca balls

For the flan:

• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 5 black tea bags
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks

For the caramel topping:

• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions:

For the boba:

1. Heat the water and add the sugar. Stir until sugar is fully dissolved and remove from heat.
2. Cook boba according to packaging instructions. Once ready add to the sugar syrup.

For the flan:

1. Bring the cream, milk and salt to simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the teabags allowing them to steep for 30 minutes. Remove the tea bags.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F.
3. In a bowl whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar. Add 1/4 cup of the milk mixture and keep mixing. Add the whole egg mixture to the milk mixture and whisk gently. Sieve through a sifter and set aside.

For the caramel:

1. Over low heat mix the water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and let cook without stirring.  Swirl the pan occasionally and cook about 8 minutes.
2. Pour the caramel into six custard cups, tilt to coat sides and place into a baking pan.
3. Pour the custard into the cups and transfer the baking pan to the oven. Fill the baking pan with water so it covers half of the custard cups. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let chill overnight.
4. Turn over onto a plate and top with boba.

Source: A Cozy Kitchen

Mango & coconut tapioca pearl parfait

How to make boba tea parfaits?

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup tapioca pearls
• 1 13.6 oz. can full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 large ripe mango
• 1 tsp lime juice

Instructions:

1. For 20 minutes soak the pearls in cold water, drain and set aside.
2. Bring the coconut milk, water and maple syrup to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tapioca pearls. Cover and let cool.
3. Peel the mango and dice it into small cubes. Add the lime juice and blend until smooth.
4. Fill the bottom of a jar with 2-3 tbsp of the mango puree. Add 3-4 tbsp of the tapioca pudding and layer the puree and pudding again. Refrigerate over night.

Source: Full of Plants

Keto bubble tea recipe

How to make keto bubble tea?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coffee
• 2 tbso beef gelatin
• 2 cup oil, chilled in the freezer for 1-2 hours
• cold water

Instructions:

1. Dissolve the gelatin into the coffee. Het over medium heat and keep stirring until it reaches a boil. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Fill a large syringe with the mixture. Gently drop small drops of the mixture into the chilled oil and stir gently. Gently drain the pearls and pour them into a bowl with cold water, drain and keep doing it until the oil is washed off of them.
3. Use the pearls to make a bubble tea.

Source: Perfect Keto

Vegan boba tea recipe

How to make vegan boba tea?

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup tapioca pearls
• 1 tbsp agave syrup
• 1 tea bag
• non-dairy milk

Instructions:

1. Prepare the tapioca pearls according to package instructions. Let cool and drain. Drizzle the agave syrup on top.
2. Let the tea bag steep into hot water for 10 minutes and chill.
3. In a glass, place the pearls on the bottom. Add the tea and add the non-dairy milk.

Source: Veggies Save the Day

More boba tea ideas

You can even make smoothies with tapioca pearls

What do you think of boba ice cream