How To Make Boba Tea At Home

What is Boba Tea?

Boba Tea in other words also known as bubble tea, is a drink that originated from Taiwan and is one of the popular drinks during summer. As its colloquial name-bubble tea-suggests, the drink combines tea with milk and many chewy tapioca pearls.

This drink contains a base of brewed tea, probably black, green, or of any other type one prefers. It is then completed with milk, which can be whole, almond milk, or any other kind one may want.

The tea can be served over ice or hot and in countless flavors, such as classic black tea, green tea, or fruity flavors. It is usually served in a clear cup and when one sips the tea through a wide straw, with every mouthful, he gets smooth tea and chewy pearls.

What Kind Of Tea To Use?

With bubble tea, one needs to make the correct selection of tea for the mixture and flavor intended for consumption to be perfectly combined. The common one is black tea, which has a strong, rich base appropriate for milk and sweeteners that make it ideal for a traditional tea boba recipe.

Matcha is a lighter and more refreshing type of green tea, possibly having a somewhat grassy or earthy taste that pairs well with fruit flavors or almond milk. Other varieties include oolong teas, offering a gentle melding of the robustness of black tea and the freshness of green, with hints of floral or fruity undertones.

Jasmine and chamomile flowers, besides being caffeine-free, are also easily made herbal teas that can give a different aroma and taste infusion to your boba tea. The experimentation with the different kinds of teas allows making your bubble tea based on personal taste preferences.

What Kind Of Tapioca Pearls To Use?

The art of choosing the right tapioca pearls to make pearl tea at home is important. The most common are black tapioca pearls that are small, chewy balls with a moderately sweet flavor. They are made from tapioca starch and often colored in dark colors from caramel or brown sugar.

There are also white tapioca pearls, more neutral in taste, which are just perfect in case one goes for lighter flavors. If one looks for convenience, then pre-cooked tapioca pearls can be used after reheating.

To achieve the best results as far as homemade boba tea is concerned, one should follow the instructions on the pack about the preparation of the pearls and their sweetening. Generally, mastering the process of how to make pearl tea at home could be quite fun and allows you enjoy this popular drink whenever you want.

What Kind Of Milk To Use?

The type of milk is key to preparing milky boba tea. Whole milk is one of the most popular types of milk, and it can give your drink a rich, creamy texture to balance the bold flavors of the tea.

Otherwise, you can always use 2% or skimmed milk for a lighter version that gives the silky texture with fewer calories. If you're into plant-based alternatives, then some of the best options are almond milk, soy milk, and oat milk, which all provide their unique flavor: nutty flavor is provided by almond milk, mild and creamy by soy milk, and the subtle sweetness by oat milk.

Also, coconut milk substitutes can be used for the tropical taste and a sweet and aromatic note. By choosing appropriate milk, you can prepare your milky boba tea more or less rich according to your preferences.

What Kind Of Sweetener To Use?

With the proper sweetener, one can balance out the flavor in general in a boba tea drink. Hence, when making milky boba tea, the selection of sweetener is important. The common sweeteners used are granulated sugar and simple syrup due to their quick dissolution rate and good distribution in the drink.

Another sweetener that is very common in the bubble tea drink is brown sugar, bringing forth a caramel-like depth and giving an enriching flavor to the tea. This sweetener also complements the creaminess of the milk. Honey or agave syrup may be used as a more organic substitute, adding a slight sweetness and floral or fruity hints.

For the low-calorie sweetener alternatives, products such as stevia or monk fruit extract will do the job without defiling the flavor of the tea drink in your bubble tea. This may be one way to express your style, with each sweetener adding its flavor profile to a drink. Adjust the sweetness according to your preference.

Ingredients

1. For The Tapioca Pearls:

• 1/3 cup water, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup muscovado sugar, or brown sugar
• 3/4 cup tapioca flour, plus more for dusting

2. For The Tea Base:

• 2 cups water
• 2 black tea bags
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar or sweetener(adjust to taste)
• 1/2 cup milk or non-dairy milk

3. Optional

• Ice cubes
• Flavorings(like vanilla, caramel, or fruit syrups)

Instructions

1. Make The Boba Pearls:

• Combine water and muscovado sugar in a medium pan. Heat over medium-high, stirring sometimes, till the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil, 3-4 minutes.
• Stir in a small part of the tapioca flour and cook, constantly stirring till smooth. Stir in half of the rest of the tapioca flour with force until sticky dough forms.
• Remove from heat and stir in the remaining tapioca flour. Mix until it forms a ball. The dough at this stage will be somewhat rough and shaggy, and not all the flour will be worked in.

a. Make the dough ready:

Take out the dough on a clean surface and knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated and the dough texture is smooth. If the dough is too sticky or too dry, add more water or flour until the dough is ready.

b. Roll the dough into boba pearl size:

Divide the dough into 2 portions. Roll on a floured surface into long thin ropes about ¼-inch thick; cut in half crosswise if they get too long.

Cut into ¼-inch pieces. Each piece will be rolled into a ball and then put into a bowl with a little tapioca flour. Dust balls with the flour so that they would not stick to one another.

c. Boil the pearls:

Side by side boil a pot of water and shake the excess flour off the tapioca pearls. Stir to separate the pearls, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer until they are cooked through, occasionally stirring, about 20 minutes.

2. Separately prepare the brown sugar syrup:

Combine muscovado sugar and water according to the measurement in a small saucepan. Now on medium heat place the pan and cook the sugar for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup slightly reduced. Pour the syrup into a large heatproof bowl.

3. Rinse the boiled pearls: 

Once the pearls have cooked through, strain and rinse with cold water. Add to bowl of brown sugar syrup, and let sit for 30–60 minutes.

4. Prepare the Black Tea:

In a medium pot on high heat combine the water and tea bags accordingly. After it boils, pull off the pan from the heat and let the tea cool a room temperature.

5. Prepare the milk mixture: 

Take out a small bowl and with the help of a liquid measuring cup pour the milk and sweetened condensed milk half-and-half and whisk it together until combined.

6. Assemble the boba milk tea: 

Take a glass then add about 1/3 cup of boba pearl and brown sugar syrup to the bottom of the glass. Top with ice according to your want and add 1/2 cup of black tea and 3 tablespoons of the milk mixture.

7. Ready to serve:

 Mix the boba tea well, then serve and enjoy a sip with a wide-opening straw.

Flavor Variations

Several popular variations to try at home include the following:

1. Classic Milk Tea:

It is a classic boba drink made with just black tea, milk, and some sweetener, such as simple syrup or honey. The tea is brewed to a solid state to cut through the creaminess brought forth by the milk, while the bottom is filled with chewy tapioca pearls.

It's a lot like a rich, smooth drink that is refreshing and indulgent all at once, making it a darling for all boba lovers around the world.

2. Matcha Boba:

Whisked matcha powder mixed with milk forms a vibrant green tea drink, both earthy and creamy. The drink is sweetened with a touch of honey and then is served over the chewy tapioca pearls. For those who enjoy the deep, somewhat bitter taste of matcha, this is a great variation that has a satisfying texture from the pearls.

3. Taro Milk Tea:

This is usually made with either powdered or mashed taro, which is purple-colored, extremely sweet, and nutty flavored. During the preparation, the taro is mixed with milk and tea. 

This makes the beverage creamy and full of richness. Taro contains a starchy texture that goes hand in hand with the chewiness of the tapioca pearls. This drink is a very unique and flavor-rich option for the avid boba drinker.

4. Mango Boba Tea:

Fresh mango combined with green or black tea gives this fruity version the tropical flair it has. The sweetness from mango complements the taste of the tea itself, bringing everything together in this refreshing drink.

You can make it even more fun with popping boba, which will burst in flavor, or go classic with some tapioca pearls for chewiness. It's bright, summery, and perfect for mango lovers.

Top Tips For Boba Tea

1. Add the tea, syrup, milk, and ice in a shaker if you want a foamy effect; shake well for 6 seconds. Finally, pour everything into the glass with the syrup boba.

2. Use only milk without tea for an extra creamy taste.

3. You can use honey, caster sugar, light-brown sugar, or agave syrup as a substitute for sugar syrup.

4. Using quick-cook or pre-made boba saves time.

5. Cook only the amount you will need because cooked boba lasts a maximum of 3 hrs.

6. Never refrigerate cooked boba; drink fresh. The longer the boba sits cold, the quicker it hardens.

7. The best thing about homemade boba tea is that you can adjust the sweetness, the amount of ice, or even the style of tea to your liking, so be creative.

Note

1. You will most likely have some simple syrup leftover; you can store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks. You can make the simple syrup with any type of sugar: light or dark brown sugar, or even coconut sugar. Put a little bit of ginger into my syrup, just adding slices of ginger into the saucepan as you make the syrup.

2. Normally, leave the tea steep for the entire time to make the tea strong and somewhat bitter. Otherwise, I find if you add milk and ice cubes to the drink, the flavor of the tea is too weak. Some tea leaves have a more strong bitter flavor. You can remove the tea bags or tea leaves after 5 minutes if you are concerned that the tea may be too bitter.

3. If you are making the pearls about an hour ahead, do not drain the pearls from the saucepan. Keep them in hot water; the heat of the water will help maintain the soft nature of the tapioca pearls.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Here are a few easy things to watch out for:

1. Overcooking of the Tapioca Pearls: Sometimes they are cooked to excess, in which case the pearls could be too soft and basically lose that great chewy texture.

2. Not Sweetening of the Pearls: The tapioca pearls can be quite bland. Soaking them in syrup gives flavor improves the whole drink.

3. Brewing Incorrectly: Brewing your tea for too long makes the drink bitter. Brew for the right amount of time depending on the tea.