Best 4 Classic Bubble Tea Recipes

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Indulge in the delightful world of bubble tea, a tantalizing beverage that has captured the hearts of tea enthusiasts worldwide. Also known as pearl milk tea or boba tea, this Taiwanese invention has become a global phenomenon. With its vibrant colors, chewy tapioca pearls, and endless flavor combinations, bubble tea offers a unique and refreshing experience that caters to a wide range of palates.

From the classic black tea with milk and sugar to the more adventurous fruit-flavored options, bubble tea has something for everyone. Whether you prefer the traditional tapioca pearls or the more modern popping boba, you can customize your drink to suit your taste preferences. And with the addition of various toppings such as pudding, jelly, and cheese foam, the possibilities are endless.

So embark on a culinary adventure and explore the diverse recipes presented in this article. Discover the secrets behind crafting the perfect bubble tea, from selecting the finest tea leaves to mastering the art of cooking tapioca pearls. Learn how to create a harmonious blend of flavors and textures that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more.

Let's cook with our recipes!

CLASSIC BUBBLE TEA RECIPE



Classic Bubble Tea Recipe image

This recipe for iced boba tea with tapioca pearls is perhaps Taiwan's most famous culinary export. The tea may be milky or not, sweetened or not, and flavored with any number of additional powders or infusions, like mango. This recipe is this classic black tea with milk, and sugar.

Provided by Cathy Erway

Categories     Tea     Iced Tea     Tapioca     Taiwan     Milk/Cream     Drinks     Non-Alcoholic

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 cup tapioca pearls (found in the dry goods section in Asian groceries)
4 cups freshly brewed strong black tea
1 tablespoon sugar
Ice cubes, for shaking
1/2 cup whole milk

Steps:

  • Soak the tapioca pearls according to the package instructions. Once fully reconstituted and softened, drain.
  • While the tea is still hot or warm, add the sugar and stir to dissolve completely. Let cool and then refrigerate until completely chilled, about 2 hours, before serving.Place the tapioca pearls at the bottom of 2 cups. Use a cocktail shaker to shake together the ice, milk, and tea and strain into each cup and serve.

HOW TO MAKE BUBBLE TEA



How to make bubble tea image

Try a Taiwanese favourite - homemade brown sugar boba milk tea, aka 'bubble tea'. So-named from the tapioca balls that fall to the bottom

Provided by Tiffany Chang

Categories     Drink

Time 35m

Yield Serves 1-2

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 teabags or 2g black tea
50g caster sugar
50g quick-cook tapioca balls (look for ones that cook in 5 mins)
1 tsp dark brown sugar
ice
200ml milk
50g dark brown sugar

Steps:

  • Put the teabags or tea leaves in 100ml boiling water and leave to brew for 10-15 mins. Discard the teabags or tea leaves, then set the tea aside to cool to room temperature.
  • Bring 500ml water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan set over a medium heat, then add the tapioca balls. Using a rubber spatula, stir the water and make sure the balls, or boba, are not sticking to the side of the pan. Turn the heat up to reach a rolling boil for 2 mins, then turn off the heat, but keep the pan on the stove with a lid on for another 2 mins. Drain the boba in a sieve under gentle running tap water for about 20 seconds to slow down the cooking. Using the same spatula, gently push the boba around in the mesh to make sure they don't stick and are cooling down evenly. Once they're cool to the touch, set in a mixing bowl, add the 1 tsp dark brown sugar and mix in thoroughly.
  • To make the sugar syrup, add the 50g dark sugar to 60ml water in the same pan set over a medium heat. Slowly stir and let it come to a boil, making sure all the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat and leave to cool down. It will thicken as it cools. This will make approx. 80ml syrup, about 2½ servings. Any leftover syrup will keep in a jar in the fridge for up to a month. A dd the cooked boba and mix until thoroughly coated. The boba can be left covered for up to three hours. Do not refrigerate as they will harden.
  • Assemble the bubble tea. Put the sweetened boba in a 485ml drinking glass, or two smaller glasses if you want to share. Swirl the boba to create a marble effect on the wall of the glass. Pour in the brewed tea and 1 tbsp of sugar syrup. Add ½ cup of ice and, using a metal spoon, stir the glass so the syrup and the tea are thoroughly mixed but make sure you don't scrape off the sticky marbling effect on the wall of the glass. Top up with 200ml of cold milk and serve with a boba straw.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 554 calories, Fat 7 grams fat, SaturatedFat 5 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 115 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 70 grams sugar, Fiber 0.3 grams fiber, Protein 7 grams protein, Sodium 0.3 milligram of sodium

BOBA MILK TEA RECIPE BY TASTY



Boba Milk Tea Recipe by Tasty image

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

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

⅓ cup water, plus more as needed
¼ cup dark muscovado sugar, or brown sugar
¾ cup tapioca flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup dark muscovado sugar, or brown sugar
1 cup water
2 cups water
6 black tea bags
3 tablespoons half & half
3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
3 cups ice, divided
wide-opening straw

Steps:

  • Make the boba pearls: Add the water and muscovado sugar to a medium pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil, 3-4 minutes. Add a bit of the tapioca flour and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth. Add half of the remaining tapioca flour and stir vigorously until a sticky dough forms. Turn off the heat and add the remaining tapioca flour. Stir until the dough comes together in a ball (not all of the flour will be incorporated at this stage). Let cool slightly.
  • Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Knead until all of the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth, adding more flour or water as needed if the dough is too sticky or too dry.
  • Divide the dough into 2 portions. Roll the dough into long, thin ropes about ¼-inch (6.35 mm) thick, cutting in half crosswise if they get too long. Cut the ropes into ¼-inch (6.35 mm) pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place in a bowl with a bit of tapioca flour. Dust the balls with the flour to prevent them from sticking to each other.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Shake off any excess flour from the tapioca pearls, then add to the boiling water. Stir to separate the pearls, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until cooked through.
  • Meanwhile, make the brown sugar syrup: Add the muscovado sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the syrup reduces slightly, 5-7 minutes. Pour the syrup into a large heatproof bowl.
  • Once the pearls have cooked through, drain and rinse with cold water. Add the pearls to the bowl with the brown sugar syrup and let sit for 30-60 minutes.
  • Make the black tea: In a medium pot over high heat, combine the water and tea bags. Bring to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat and let the tea cool to room temperature.
  • Make the milk mixture: In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the half-and-half and sweetened condensed milk until combined.
  • Assemble the boba milk tea: Add about ⅓ cup (80 ml) boba pearls and brown sugar syrup to the bottom of each glass. Top with 1½ cups (225 grams) ice, then add ½ cup (240 ml) black tea and 3 tablespoons of the milk mixture. Stir with a wide-opening straw, then serve.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 598 calories, Carbohydrate 146 grams, Fat 1 gram, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 1 gram, Sugar 99 grams

CLASSIC MILK TEA



Classic Milk Tea image

Made with sweetened black tea, milk, and black tapioca pearls or boba, this classic milk tea recipe is sweet, creamy, and delicious.

Provided by Andrew Chau

Yield Makes 1 glass

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 cup (213 grams) dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
1 cup (227 grams) boiling-hot filtered water
4 cups filtered water, plus more as needed
1 cup (168 grams) dried boba balls
½ cup Sweetening Syrup
½ cup (28 grams) loose Assam black tea leaves
¼ cup (14 grams) loose Ceylon black tea leaves
¼ cup (14 grams) loose Yunnan black tea leaves
4 oz. (by weight) ice cubes
5 oz. filtered water, heated to 190ºF
2-4 Tbsp. toppings of your choice (optional)
5 oz. (by weight) ice cubes
2 oz. Sweetening Syrup, or to taste
1 cup Brewed Black Tea Blend
2½ oz. (¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp.) half-and-half or your dairy-free milk of choice

Steps:

  • Combine the brown and white sugars in a heatproof bowl. Whisk in the hot water until dissolved. Let cool, then pour into a clean, resealable container and refrigerate up to 1 month.
  • In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the boba and cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently during the first 10 minutes of cooking to prevent the boba from sitting at the bottom of the pot and burning. Cover the pot so the water doesn't evaporate, and stir occasionally for the remainder of the time. Add more hot water if necessary to keep the boba covered.
  • After the 30 minutes of cooking, take the pot off the heat and let the boba rest for another 30 minutes.
  • After the resting time, strain the boba in a colander or a strainer, discarding the water, and pour them into a mixing bowl. Stir in ½ cup Sweetening Syrup. After an additional 30 minutes (so 1½ hours total from the time you started cooking), the boba should have absorbed the sweetness; it won't get any sweeter if it continues to sit longer.
  • Now your boba is ready to serve; hold it warm or at room temperature (our preference). When you add it to drinks, scoop some of the balls out with a little strainer to leave the syrup behind. The boba keeps for about 4 hours before it starts to lose its texture.
  • Combine the tea leaves in a mixing bowl; stir well to fully mix. Store in an airtight container.
  • Fill a tall glass with the ice cubes. Heat filtered water to 190ºF. Steep 2 tablespoons of the tea leaf blend in 5 oz. of the hot water for 4 minutes. Strain the tea over the ice, and set the glass aside to allow the ice to fully melt.
  • Fill a glass with the toppings, if using, and the ice, and then add the syrup. Pour the tea over the ice. Add the half-and-half. Stir until everything is mixed.

Tips:

  • Use high-quality tea leaves: Fresh, loose-leaf tea leaves will give your bubble tea a better flavor than tea bags.
  • Steep the tea leaves for the proper amount of time: The steeping time will vary depending on the type of tea you are using. Check the package instructions for the recommended steeping time.
  • Use chilled tea: Cold tea will help to thicken the milk and create a smoother drink.
  • Use full-fat milk: Full-fat milk will give your bubble tea a richer flavor and creamier texture than low-fat or skim milk.
  • Add sweetener to taste: The amount of sweetener you add will depend on your personal preference. You can use sugar, honey, or another sweetener of your choice.
  • Use tapioca pearls that are cooked properly: Tapioca pearls should be cooked until they are soft and chewy, but not mushy. You can find instructions for cooking tapioca pearls on the package.
  • Add other toppings as desired: You can add other toppings to your bubble tea, such as fruit, jelly, or pudding. Be creative and experiment with different combinations to find your favorite.

Conclusion:

Bubble tea is a delicious and refreshing drink that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With its wide variety of flavors and toppings, there is sure to be a bubble tea that everyone will enjoy. So next time you are looking for a tasty and unique drink, give bubble tea a try!

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