Bubble tea

Bubble tea

30 min
Boba tea, also known as bubble tea, is a sweet drink that is popular in many countries. The base is tapioca pearls which can be bought ready-made or prepared with tapioca flour as in this recipe. Vary the flavouring of your boba tea and enjoy it ice cold. Drink your boba tea with a thick straw to enjoy the full bubbly experience with the tapioca pearls.
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Instructions

Tapioca pearls
  • Boil the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. Add three to four tablespoons of the flour, stirring continuously so that it is lump-free.
  • Return the mixture to the stove and heat, whisking constantly. Stir for two to three minutes, until it turns into a thick mass. Add the rest of the flour and mix well.
  • Pour the dough out on a baking sheet and knead it quickly. Roll out into two long lengths. Cut the lengths into pieces and roll into small balls. Boil a few cups of water in a pan and cook the tapioca pearls on a medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and let steep for another 20 minutes until translucent.
Boba tea with caramel
  • Heat the milk. Add the tea leaves and let steep for six to eight minutes. Strain out the leaves and cool the milk.
  • Pour the tapioca pearls into the bottom of a glass. Drizzle over caramel sauce and top with ice cubes and the chilled milk tea.
  • Drink with a thick straw.
Boba tea with raspberries
  • Heat the milk. Add the tea leaves and let steep for six to eight minutes. Strain out the leaves and mix the milk with the raspberries.
  • Pour tapioca pearls into the bottom of a glass. Top with ice cubes and raspberry milk.
  • Drink with a thick straw.
Boba tea with matcha
  • Whisk the matcha powder with the water.
  • Pour tapioca pearls into the bottom of a glass. Top with ice cubes and milk. Sprinkle matcha powder over the top.
  • Drink with a thick straw.
Enjoy!

Bubble tea

Should you shake bubble tea before drinking?

Typically, you won’t need to shake your drink but this all depends on how it was prepared and the type of bubble tea you are having. If the ingredients, especially a syrupy sweetener, are in separate layers, a shake or a stir might be needed.

Do you swallow or chew boba?

A big part of the drink’s charm and popularity is the chewy, springy, and soft texture of the boba when chewed.

What is the most popular boba tea flavour?

The most popular flavour remains the classic combination of black tea, milk, sweetener, and tapioca pearls.

Do you rinse boba after boiling?

Yes, a thorough rinse under cold water will stop the cooking process and retain that signature chewy texture that the drink is known for.

Can you re-boil boba pearls?

The best way to revive your boba is to steam them for a few minutes until they become soft again. Alternatively, create a simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar, boiled until it thickens), add the boba and reheat.

Ingredients

Tapioca pearls
Water
100 ml
Light muscovado sugar
85 g
Tapioca flour
156 g
Boba tea with caramel
Milk
300 ml
Black tea leaves
1 tsp
Caramel sauce
1 tbsp
Boba tea with raspberries
Milk
200 ml
Black tea leaves
1 tsp
Raspberries
100 g
Boba tea with matcha
Milk
300 ml
Matcha or green tea
1 tbsp
Cold water
2 tbsp
Serve with
Ice cubes

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An East Asian favourite

One of Taiwan’s most celebrated beverages, bubble tea comes in many shapes, forms, colours, and flavours. So popular that Southeast Asia saw a 3,000% increase in bubble tea orders in 2018 alone, the drink was even awarded its own emoji in 2020!

How the bubble tea world phenomenon started

This photogenic drink first appeared on the scene in Taiwan in the early 1980s when both milk teas and boba pearl desserts were already firm favourites. When the two ingredients finally made it into the same cup as a refreshing summer drink, it quickly gained popularity as a breakfast-on-the-go or quick snack. Fast forward to 2009, former British investment banker, Assad Khan had his first bubble tea and was so intrigued by the unique flavour and texture that he quit his job and launched Bubbleology in 2011. He opened his first shop in trendy Soho, London. From there, it didn’t take long for the beverage to become a fashionable lifestyle drink and grow into the global phenomenon that today dominates many a social media feed.

Great balls of flavour

Traditional tapioca pearls have a very mild and slightly sweet taste. Flavour is then infused into the drink by soaking the pearls in syrup or adding jellies, fruits, powders, or other ingredients to the tea. You can also add flavouring directly to the tapioca dough with popular and easy varieties including honey, strawberry, or mango: simply blend the fruit, pass through a strainer and adjust the amount of water in the recipe to accommodate the fresh juice.

Traditional and new flavours

A classic bubble tea is sweet, creamy, and chewy with only four main ingredients: black tea, milk, sweetener, and tapioca pearls. Because the pearls are relatively mild in flavour, however, they can be added to almost any tea, and you will find a large variety on many menus. Must-try combinations include oolong tea, passion fruit and coconut jelly; sugar cane juice and green tea: or a red bean and grass jelly combo.