How To Make Milk Tea Without Boba

What Is Bubble Tea

Bubble tea goes by many different names: milk tea, tapioca tea, pearl milk tea, boba, boba tea… The names can be confusing, as bubble tea can, in fact, be made without tea and without bubbles!

The drink itself is of Taiwanese origin and is traditionally made with a base of tea, milk, and sugar with chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom. While most bubble teas are indeed tea-based, they can have a fruit juice or a coffee base also.

Go to a bubble tea shop and you’ll see all kinds of wild combinations – honeydew, taro, mango, coconut, lavender, sesame… the tasty flavors are endless!

What Is Brown Sugar Boba And Why Is It So Popular

Brown sugar boba, also known as brown sugar bubble tea or milk tea, is a Taiwanese drink that has quickly gained popularity all over the globe with its ever-addictive taste and texture.

Also known as Tiger Sugar milk tea, this popular drink is notable for its tiger stripes formation made with the brown sugar syrup that the boba is served in.

This drink truly nails both the aesthetic and taste, making it to be one of the most popular drinks shared on social media.;

Personally, this has been my absolute favorite kind of boba to enjoy over the years, and I simply cannot get enough of it!

Its been a while since I have started to make this drink at home, and with many sessions of developing the recipe, this is hands down the most foolproof and delicious way to make this highly addictive drink at home.;

What Are The Bubbles

The bubbles in bubble tea are tapioca pearls. Tapioca pearls are dark little balls of starch that;can be made to vary in color and in texture depending on the type of flavoring and starch used to make them. Typically most tapioca pearls are made from tapioca starch taken from the cassava root.;

Tapioca pearls by themselves are not always the most flavorful, which is why they are served in something sweet . You can also sweeten them even more by soaking them in a simple syrup before serving.

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What Tea Should I Use

I always use black tea for this recipe, although you can try this with oolong and green tea. I love having my milk with green tea, hot or cold, but for this specific recipe my choice is always black tea.

If you still dont know, black tea is quite healthy: it has a lot of antioxidants, and some studies even said it can reduce stress and give you an energy boost!

Just remember: black tea has caffeine on it, so my milk tea can make you stay awake till longer than you need to if you drink it at night.

For my iced milk tea, I always use Assam black tea, or a blend that has mostly Assam on it, as it makes a stronger taste black tea.

How To Make Tapioca Pearls Aka Boba Pearls

Making and using these boba pearls requires two techniques. First, you have to make the tapioca pearl dough and form the dried tapioca pearls. Once these are ready, you then have to cook them before they can be used in your drink of choice.

The Ingredients:

• Brown sugar
• Hot water

Note* For a more authentic taste, you can try to find Taiwanese brown sugar . However, if youre unable to find this, then any dark brown sugar will work.

Needed to make the Brown Sugar Boba Drink

• Extra brown sugar
• Your favourite tea/iced tea, flavoured milk or even juice/smoothie

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Who Invented The Drink

In 2017, Tigar Sugar became the first bubble tea store to sell brown sugar milk tea in Taiwan. Sweet syrup is drizzled on the cup to resemble tiger stripes; hence the name of the store.In 2018, Xing Fu Tang patented their unique method of making brown sugar boba pearls in Taiwan. Within a year of establishing, Xing Fu Tang expanded overseas to Hong Kong. Now, the brand has hundreds of stores across the globe in popular destinations including New York, London, Australia, Japan and more.

Capitalising on their successful product, Xing Fu Tang recently released a Beauty Brown Sugar Milk Tea thats topped with gold foil leaf and edible rose. The brand now has branched into making other products such as hot pot and xiao long bao.;

How To Make Tapioca Pearls

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar

This is all you need to make tapioca pearls

Instructions:

For the pearls:

To cook with the syrup:

Step-by-step tutorial

And now a simple recipe for boba tea

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Can You Make Bubble Tea Ahead Of Time

You can make bubble tea about a day in advance, but any longer and your tea may start to get too strong, and tapioca pearls can get soggy and lose their chew. Be sure to store the tapioca pearls in the fridge submerged in simple syrup if making ahead, and discard tea leaves once your tea has brewed so it doesnt oversteep.

When making simple syrup ahead, store this in a sealed jar for over a week and it should stay fresh.

Edibles Cocktails Skincare And All The Rest

Considering the amount of chewing already involved, its no surprise that boba pearls are now starring in a number of culinary applications, working their way into everything from souffle pancakes, sandwiches, hot pot soup, pizza, creme brulee, and of course the stalwart, shaved ice. Where to get it: Belle Époque , No. 23, Lane 52, Section 1, Daan Road, Daan District, Taipei; also at Baoguo and Ice Monster, both with multiple locations across Taipei

For those who wish for their boba stiff, there are now boba cocktails, made with vodka, tequila, gin, rum, or bourbon. Bars throughout Taiwan and beyond are experimenting with these alcoholic boba concoctions, and Los Angeles even has a boba-centric bar dedicated to liquor-filled spins on traditional boba flavors. Where to get it:Chinese Whispers , No. 11, Alley 2, Lane 345, Section 4, Renai Road, Daan District, Taipei

And then, go ahead, smear boba all over your face if you want. Taiwan now offers lotions, facial blotting tissues, candles, and even boba milk tea face masks , all boasting the signature, sticky-sweet fragrance of boba milk tea. Gimmicky, sure, but anything in the name of beauty and boba. Where to get it:Annies Way Mask Gallery

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How To Make Bubble Tea

Quick Links:What kind of tapioca pearls to useMake ahead tips

Bubble tea is one of my favorite things to sip on during the summer. Originating from Taiwan, bubble tea usually consists of sweetened tea with milk and the characteristic chewy tapioca balls, also known as boba . Bubble tea comes in many flavors: plain tea flavors such as black or jasmine tea; fruit flavors such as strawberry or honeydew; and even taro, which is a root vegetable commonly used in Asian dishes. .

While I enjoy drinking bubble tea, I dont particularly like the ones sold in the teahouse chains because they contain too much sugar. The good thing is that you can make bubble tea at home easily! In this bubble tea recipe, all you really need is tea, tapioca pearls, milk, and a sweetener.

Preparing The Tapioca Pearls

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a deep pot. Then add 1 cup of black tapioca pearls. For every 1 cup of tapioca pearls, add 8 cups of water. Boil the tapioca pearls until it floats to the top then cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Once you have finished boiling your tapioca pearls you scoop the tapioca pearls out of the pot and let it rest in cold water for 20 seconds. Then transfer it into another bowl.

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Boba Milk Tea Recipe By Tasty

This classic boba milk tea was inspired by my experiences walking around Taiwan. Every cup of boba milk tea had this signature condensed milk flavor that fused perfectly with the concentrated black tea. A lot of stands also use whole milk, so if you’re not a fan of condensed milk, whole milk will also give you an authentic taste of Taiwanese Boba Milk Tea! This drink is a thirst-quencher with a great caffeine kick. If you prefer your drinks to be less sweet, reduce the amount of brown sugar syrup or condensed milk during assembly. Don’t have muscovado sugar? Swap it out for brown sugar!

Provided by Jasmine Pak

Steps:

How To Make Bubble Tea With Any Tea

Homemade bubble tea is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up!;In my recipe, I add a twist by combining three favorites – matcha, latte, and bubble tea. You can make this recipe with any tea, and I’m showing you how. It’s a beverage with something for everyone. Just look at those fun bubblesI promise this tea will make your day that much better!

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How To Cook Them

Get enough water to a boil to cover as many of the pearls youll want/need. Carefully put them into that boiling water and constantly stir them to avoid them from sticking to the bottom or to each other. Doing this with the back of a spoon is the safest way to prevent harming the pearls. After a bit you can cover your pot with a lid and let them simmer for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and let them rest for another 20 minutes. Drain and serve! You can of course make a sugar syrup to make it extra yummy.

Thai Boba Tea From Scratch

To make a Thai boba tea from scratch you will need black tea, which you can find anywhere and use your preferred type. You will be adding spices to the tea to get the right flavor for a Thai tea.

You will need sugar or some type of sweetener in order to get the right flavor profile for the tea.

Star anise, whole cardamom, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean, turmeric and vanilla or almond extract will finish out the flavor profile to turn your standard black tea into a Thai tea.

Sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk are going to give you the creamy texture that your tea needs to be a true Thai boba tea or milk tea.

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Thai Boba Tea From Mix

You will need a Thai;iced tea;mix to start with. They come with all of the spices and coloring already mixed in so you dont need to worry about getting the balances right. You will only need a couple simple ingredients to add in.

Next, make sure you have milk or half-and-half or you could even use heavy cream or sweetened condensed milk if you are looking for a thoroughly sweet and creamy drink.

Sweetener of your choice, such as agave, honey, simple syrup or even basic white table sugar are important for your boba tea as well. These will help add even more sweetness and give it the right flavor.

Ice is going to make sure that you have a cold drink. If youre looking for a hot Thai boba tea you could skip the ice and drink the tea hot, but for this recipe we will add in ice to make a traditional cold drink.

And finally, you need to have the tapioca pearls or boba. You will want to make your own boba immediately before you are planning to make your tea as they will start to dry out quickly and you will lose the chewy texture that you are looking for.

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What Kind Of Tea Do You Use

The best kinds of tea to use are those that have a robust flavor, such as black or jasmine tea. Because you will water down the tea with milk and ice cubes, you want a strong tasting tea that will retain its flavor. I used Numis Chinese Breakfast Tea for the recipe, but any strong tea will work. Another tea blend I recommend is equal parts Assam and Ceylon tea leaves.

Types Of Tea In Boba Tea

Because youll be diluting your tea with milk, the stronger more robust tasting teas usually work best. They hold up and retain their flavor when mixed with milk.

Black tea is by far the most popular choice for bubble tea.

But, there are lots of varieties of tea that can be used to make Boba:

• Black Tea Earl Gray, Breakfast Teas
• Jasmine Tea this tea is usually green tea scented with jasmine
• Green Tea along with jasmine tea, green tea powders like matcha
• Chai Tea usually Indian black tea mixed with spices
• Oolong Tea regular Oolong or green Oolong
• White Tea not traditional, but sometimes used in Western Countries

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What Are Tapioca Pearls

These boba tapioca pearls are small, chewy dark brown/black balls that get spooned into the bottom of the bubble teas and made using tapioca starch from the cassava root, brown sugar and hot water. Along with these boba pearls, drinks can also include popping boba , different jellies, puddings and more.

Let me know in the comments if youd like me to do DIYs for other boba milk tea toppings too!

Within this post, Im going to take you through a simple DIY for how to make tapioca pearls, including how to cook tapioca pearls and then even a simple bubble milk tea recipe.

S To Making Bubble Tea:

1. Create a simple syrup by bringing 1/4 cup of water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature.

2. Prepare a cup of tea using your favorite variety. Is using tea bags, try using two to make it more robustly flavored. Discard the tea bags or strain the leaves and cool the tea to room temperature.

3. In another saucepan, bring water to a boil; the ratio should be 2 cups of water for every 1/4 cup boba.

4. Add the boba and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook gently for 15 minutes then remove from the heat.

5. Set the pan aside for an additional 15 minutes. Drain the boba in a colander then stir them together in a bowl with the simple syrup. The syrup will not only sweeten the boba but will also help keep them soft and chewy. Boba are best when they are freshly prepared but they can also be stored with the syrup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

6. In a tall glass, combine the tea and the boba and pour your additional liquid of choice up to the top. Ideas include milk, almond milk, or fruit juice.

7. Add additional flavorings, if desired, and serve with a jumbo straw.

WuFuYuan Black Tapioca Pearls, $9.88 from Amazon

The all-important bubbles for your bubble tea.

Buddha Bubbles Coconut Boba/Bubble Tea Powder, $15.95 from Amazon

You can try a sweet bubble tea mix as another option for homemade boba.

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