Boba Tea, Bubble Tea, or Bubble Milk Tea . . .
No matter what you call it, it has become a tremendously popular beverage from Taiwan to the U.S. There are many different recipes and methods of making Boba tea, but basically it will consist of a tea base that is mixed with milk and sweetener with large tapioca balls added for a fun little twist. The tapicoa balls are available in most Asian food stores and come in white, black and a multi-color pack.
Ingredients:
5 c. water
1/2 c. Large Tapioca Pearls* (Boba)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. honey
3/4 c. hot water
tea (any kind that you prefer – we love to use raspberry for our Boba Tea)
sweetener for tea
1/4 c. milk
In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add the tapioca pearls slowly; be sure to stir and make sure the tapica doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Let water return to a boil and continue boiling for about 5 minutes, the Boba should look like they are plumping up. Put lid on pot and turn heat down to medium; continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, honey and hot water until thoroughly dissolved. Once the Boba are done cooking, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the boiling water and place them immediately into the syrup mixture. Let sit for 15 – 20 minutes. The Boba can also be stored in the syrup for a day or two, just be sure to cover and refrigerate so they don’t dry out.
To make your bubble tea, combine your favorite tea that is sweetened to your preference; add 1/4 c. milk and shake or stir over ice. Add about 1/4 c. Boba to the bottom of another glass, fill with ice and add tea mixuture. It’s fun to drink this tea with the fat straws so that you can suck up the pearls, but you can also just save the tapioca pearls for the end if you don’t have this kind of straw on hand.
