How To Make Taiwanese Classic Bubble Milk Tea
What type of tea to use
There are many different versions of bubble tea. Earl grey tea, matcha tea, other green teas, oolong tea, jasmine tea and even tea bags with fruit flavors. Some of these are mixed with milk to make milk tea, and others are served plain.
Taiwanese milk tea is made with black tea. The strong tannin flavor in black tea is an important factor here.
Chinese breakfast tea is the usual choice for this bubble milk tea, likely due to its Taiwanese origins.
However, if you cant find Chinese breakfast tea, you can use a more robust black tea, such as Ceylon OP tea or Assam or a blend .
Avoid black teas that are weaker than Chinese breakfast tea, since the flavor of tea would be lost with the addition of milk.
Brewing the tea
You HAVE to brew the tea properly! This is critical for the best homemade bubble tea recipe. There are two ways to brew tea.
Hot brew tea This is the traditional way of brewing tea. For this drink, its important to brew tea that is stronger than regular tea. The hot water will help extract more of the tea flavor.
But take care not to brew it for too long and over-extract the flavor, which would result in the tea being too cloudy, and also having too much of the tannin flavor. The tea being too cloudy is not necessarily a deterrent to making milk tea however, because once you add milk, it wont make a difference.
What type of tapioca pearls to use?
How to sweeten your tea
Can I use other options besides milk?
Absolutely!
Soaking The Pearls In Sugar Water
Popular Bubble Tea Flavors
- Black Milk Tea or Hong Kong Milk Tea: The classic bubble tea includes black tea and condensed milk.
- Taro Milk Tea: Use taro root powder and milk for a creamy, delicious and refreshing tea.
- Thai Milk Tea: Use Thai tea leaves, condensed milk and tapioca pearls for a sweet caffeine kick.
- Strawberry: Use strawberry-flavored tea and garnish with fresh strawberries.
- Matcha: Use matcha green tea powder.
- Brown Sugar Milk Tea or Tiger Milk Tea: Use a brown sugar simple syrup in the drink to give the milk a sweet, molasses-y toastiness.
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Can You Prepare Beforehand
You can prepare most ingredients in advance to make the perfect boba to save time on the day.
In fact, you can make boba pearls up to 6 weeks in advance. Store them in a clean, dry airtight container at room temperature for best results. If refrigerated, their texture can become harder . If using store-bought boba, keep them in their original packaging.
After cooking, keep the boba in cold water or the cooking syrup to preserve the texture until adding them to the bubble tea. You can store tapioca pearls this way for about 24 hours. Any longer, your boba pearls might become soggy, so try to avoid this.
However, once you remove these from cold water, they can instantly start sticking to each other and become tougher in texture. In general, try not to cook the boba until you need them.
You can easily prepare simple syrup days in advance and refrigerate it. It is a practice that bartenders will often make syrup in bulk. Cold-brewed drinks can be stored in the fridge for up to 36 hours.
On the other hand, normally brewed beverages might become bitter if stored in the fridge for more than half a day. If put directly in the cold without cooling it down, this process could become even faster.
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These can be found premade in Asian markets in the packaged goods aisle often near the teas. Because they come dehydrated and vacuum sealed youll need to cook them to enjoy. You can also find them on or Weee! and while youre at it, you can get a boba straw which allows you to slurp up the large tapioca pearls. You can also make your own tapioca pearls with a combination of tapioca flour, water and sugar .
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Recipes For How To Make Boba Tea At Home
Bubble tea is probably one of the best things to drink during the summer.
This amazing drink originated in Taiwan and consists of sweet tea with milk and contains the signature tapioca balls.
The drink is available in a variety of flavors such as plain tea, black or jasmine tea, fruit flavors such as honeysuckle and strawberry as well as taro which is a root vegetable used in Asian dishes.
Bubble tea is available in various tea house chains however, some people find this version a little too sweet for their liking.
Bubbletea Recipe Ideas How To Make Bubble Tea At Home
Below, you can explore the 5 homemade bubble tea recipe ideas that I came up with for your inspiration. Theyre all made with simple, nutritious ingredients and no added sugars or sweetenersunless you want to add some! Follow them as strictly or loosely as youd like, adjusting ingredients to suit your tastes. Or, just use them as a framework and swap out the ingredients entirely to create new flavors!
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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.
Making Bubble Tea For Kids
Bubble tea is traditionally served with thick straws which allow you to eat the tapioca pearls as you drink.
If youre not a seasoned bubble tea drinker, these thick straws can actually pose a choking hazard as the tapioca pearls can suddenly become lodged in your throat if you sip too quickly. For this reason, I avoid giving these thick straws to children weve had other choking incidents in the past so I am extra careful on this point!
When making bubble tea for my kids, I serve it to them in a small glass with a regular straw for sipping the tea, and a teaspoon for eating the tapioca pearls. They are completely happy with this method, especially since the spoon allows them to eat the tapioca pearls more quickly.
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Where You Can Find Boba Tapioca Pearls
You can find boba at almost any Asian grocery store or online. These marble-sized spheres are made from tapioca, just like the smaller pearls we use for tapioca pudding. They come in a range of colors, but all boba have a fairly neutral flavor. Once cooked, its best to mix them with some sugar syrup this gives them some sweetness and also helps preserve any pearls youre not using right away.
Soak The Tapioca Pearls
The first thing that you need to do is soak the tapioca pearls. If you bought the pearls in a bag, take out the amount that you want to use and put them in a bowl of cold water. Let them sit for about an hour.
If you are making your own tapioca pearls, put them in a pot with water and let them soak overnight. The longer they soak, the more plump they will be when you cook them.
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How To Make Bubble Tea Boba Included From Scratch
Instead of popping champagne at my wedding, I toasted with boba.
The sweet treat transports me back home, not only to California where my parents live, but also to Taiwan, my moms birthplace. Rather than going out for coffee, my favorite pastime is dropping in for boba at my favorite shop. Its how I bond with family and friends.
Im not alone. This year, boba also known as bubble tea, tapioca tea or pearl milk tea was added as one of the new official emoji.
Finding my favorite boba shop used to be a way of curing my homesickness, whenever Id move to a new city. Id seek out shops that took the time and care to make their boba drinks the right way, brewing their tea from leaves and not powders, which can leave that telltale artificial aftertaste.
Scale and get a printer-friendly version of the recipe here.
When the coronavirus pandemic forced many bubble tea shops to shutter, I found myself craving something I couldnt easily have.
So, I resorted to something I probably would never have done otherwise: I made my own boba, the small, chewy balls often dyed black found at the bottom of the bubble tea. The balls are made from tapioca, a gluten-free starch.
I first tried boiling store-bought boba, but instead of chewy morsels, I ended up with a big goopy mess. So, I decided to make the balls from scratch and was pleased to find it was pretty easy.
Delicious Bubble Tea Recipe
This drink is traditionally sipped through a wide straw so you can suck up the tapioca .
Note, different tea flavors can provide different results. We used a cinnamon tea, but go nuts and experiment. Let me know how you tweak this recipe to make it your own!
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What Type Of Tea To Use
Bubble tea is traditionally made with a strong black tea with a distinct tannin flavour. My preference is Jasmine tea or Chinese breakfast tea, but you can also use Ceylon or Assam . English breakfast tea is also a good option.
For a milk bubble tea, simply add enough milk to taste.
I like it when you can actually taste the tea flavour in bubble tea, but I know many who prefer a more fruit-based drink, especially young kids.
For young kids, I typically use a fruit-flavoured iced tea, which means that all I have to cook are the tapioca pearls.
What Kind Of Tapioca Pearls Do You Use For Bubble Tea Recipe
I typically use this brand of tapioca pearls, which cooks in about 5 minutes. I like that these pearls cook quickly, but the texture could be better. You can find these tapioca pearls in Asian supermarkets or on.
One important thing to note about these quick-cooking tapioca pearls is that you should only cook as many as you need. The pearls stiffen as they cool, so they do not keep well overnight. However, if you leave the pearls in their cooking water, the pearls retain their soft texture for a longer time. In other words, dont drain the hot water once you are done cooking the pearls. Instead, use a slotted spoon to remove the pearls from the saucepan, and leave any excess pearls in the saucepan.
WHAT KIND OF MILK DO YOU USE? CAN THIS BE DAIRY FREE?
I prefer using whole milk the most because the rich flavor makes the beverage tastier overall. I tried a version of the bubble tea with heavy cream. While the flavor of the tea was even better than the version I made with whole milk, it felt too decadent. Perhaps using half-and-half is a good compromise?
You can also make a dairy-free version with nut milks or soy milk. I tried using canned coconut milk once, and the coconut milk left a funny feeling in my mouth. It felt as if my mouth was coated with a thin layer of coconut fat.
WHAT KIND OF SWEETENER DO YOU USE?
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Can I Make Bubble Tea At Home
The good news is that you can learn how to make bubble tea in the comfort of your own home quickly and easily.
While there are lots of bubble tea recipes available, below well be taking a look at three of the most popular and easy to make bubble tea recipes.
So why should you make bubble tea at home, when you can just go out and buy one from the store?
Well, the honest answer is that it is super simple to make your own bubble tea, and it is healthier as well.
This is especially if you are into fruity flavors. In most cases, tea houses use syrup instead of real fruit, and if you make your own bubble tea you can use the real deal. So it really is a no-brainer.
Additionally, its much cheaper to make your own bubble tea at home using a few ingredients than paying someone to make it for you.
Lastly, its undoubtedly one of the most comforting things to whip up a batch of this homemade bubble tea, then put your feet up and relax while sipping on it.
Follow these recipes and youll be making bubble tea at home in no time!
Basicbubble Tea Recipe / Homemade Boba Tea Recipe
Each homemade boba tea recipe that I designed follows the same basic formula. This isnt any kind of traditional or authentic boba ingredients list, but a simple framework that you can use to come up with your own bubble tea recipe flavors at home!
Keep in mind, each of my recipes yields 2 servings. That means you distribute the cup of cooked boba pearls into 2 cups, followed by the blended milk tea mixture. For a single-serving boba drink, use the amounts below to come up with your own homemade boba flavors.
Basic Single-Serving Bubble Milk Tea Recipe
- ~1 cup milk tea base
- sweetener to taste, if desired
- 2-3 Tbsp cooked boba pearls
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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.
How Do You Make Healthy Bubble Tea
Some people are concerned about the starchy carbs in the boba pearls, and so they choose to omit them altogether. But, lets be reala boba tea recipe without the chewy boba is just plain old milk tea! Ultimately, learning how to make bubble tea at home is your best bet for a healthier choice.
You can still enjoy the chewy, starchy, not-so-nutrient-rich tapioca pearls, but served in a much lower sugar milk tea! Ive designed each boba tea recipe below to be lower in sugar than the typical store-bought options, and you also have the option to not add any sugar or sweetener at all.
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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.
Homemade Bubble Tea Recipe / Boba Tea Recipe 5 Ways
How to Make Boba Tea at Home with Black Pearl Tapioca Balls
Now you can make your favorite summertime drink in your own kitchen with these healthy boba tea recipes! Learn how to make bubble tea at home, including how to cook black pearl tapioca balls and where to find them. Ive got 5 bubble tea recipe ideas to share, with flavors ranging from strawberry to matcha to iced coffee boba and more.
Bubble tea also known as boba tea or bubble milk tea or pearl milk tea is a deliciously sweet milk-based drink with chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom. Because boba tea tends to be high in added sugars, Ive had tons of requests for a healthy bubble tea recipe . So, I decided to learn how to make bubble tea at home, so YOU are in control of the ingredients. Youll find 5 simple, lower sugar bubble / boba tea recipe ideas below for your inspiration!
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