How to make Bubble Tea - Foxy Folksy (2024)

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Learn how to make your own bubble tea so you canenjoy it anytime without having to leave the comforts of your home and save money at the same time.

How to make Bubble Tea - Foxy Folksy (1)

Most of the highlights of our Taipei trip last August took place most likely with a cup of a refreshing Bubble tea in our hands. Well, it is not that hard to imagine since shops selling these delightful drinks are everywhere (lucky for us?).

There is nothing quite revitalizing than having a sip of a cool, fresh-tasting and mildly sweet milk tea when you just walked around under the sun at 33° Celsius for hours on end to enjoy thebeautiful scenes and historical places of the city. Or to cool down your palate after sampling the many mouthwatering and some (very) spicy street food that Taipei has tooffer.

Just thinking about it makes me want to go back again so I could have another taste of all those delicious treats in the many night markets we've been to.

But good thing we brought home some local teas and now that I can make my own black tapioca pearls, Armin and I can indulge ourselves with drinking Bubble Tea when we like.

Yes, I made these black boba or tapioca pearls myself! They are not that difficult to make at all and needs only 3 ingredients, water being one of them.

If you are interested in making homemade tapioca pearls, wait for my next postread this post : How to make Black Tapioca Pearls.

What is Bubble Tea?

How to make Bubble Tea - Foxy Folksy (3)

Bubble tea or also known as pearl milk tea, tapioca milk tea or boba tea is simply a tea-based drink with milk (or milk alternative), sugar or syrup and of course the tapioca pearls.

It is believed to have originated from either Tainan and Taichung, Taiwan, both having different versions of how Bubble Tea came to be but the latter being the most accepted one.

Their story is that the founder,Liu Han-Chieh, of the popular Taiwan tea shop,Chun Shui Tang Teahouse, thought of serving cold Chinese tea after his visit to Japan in 1980 where he observed the same with cold coffee. This simple yet ingenious modification brought his business to new heights and new chains were established.

Years later (1988) another innovation to the drink was added when his product development manager,Ms. Lin Hsiu Hui, was in a staff meeting and out of nowhere, poured the tapioca balls from her fen yuan (a Taiwanesedessert) to her iced tea. Everyone in the meeting loved it and instantly made it part of their menu that eventually outsold all their other products.

Today, the popularity of Bubble Tea is not limited to Taiwan but is fast spreading all over the world.

How to make Bubble Tea - Foxy Folksy (4)

Bubble Tea comes in many flavors. Different kinds of tea can be used but I find that using Oolong Tea is the closest to the ones we had in Taipei. You can useany black tea, like Earl Grey, or green tea, like Jasmine Tea, as well.

In Taipei, we are always asked what level of sweetness we would like to have. That is also a good thing with making your own Bubble tea, you have control how much sugar syrup goes to it.

You can also add other stuff in your Bubble tea aside from Boba pearls. Think Nata de Coco, Grass Jelly or Lychee.. I had a Taro topping one time, and it was so good!

How to make Bubble Tea - Foxy Folksy (5)

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How to make Bubble Tea - Foxy Folksy (6)

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How to make Bubble Tea

4.75 from 4 votes

Learn how to make your own bubble tea so you canenjoy it anytime without having to leave the comforts of your home and save money at the same time.

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 minutes mins

Course :Drinks

Servings =2 servings

Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 bags tea - Oolong or other black tea
  • 1 cup cooked black tapioca pearls
  • milk or powdered creamer

Instructions

  • Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling a half cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool down.

  • Bring 2 cups of water in a boil. Transfer water in a teapot or large cup. Add tea bags and steep as directed in the packet instruction. Steep it longer for a stronger flavor. Chill the tea before using.

  • Pour the prepared tea into 2tall glasses and add the tapioca pearls. Add milk and syrup as preferred.Add crushed or cubed ice if desired.

Notes

You can skip the milk and add fruit juice or nectar instead if you prefer a fruity-flavored tea instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 481kcalCarbohydrates: 121gProtein: 0gFat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 31mgPotassium: 73mgFiber: 0gSugar: 55gCalcium: 68mgIron: 1.6mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

How to make Bubble Tea - Foxy Folksy (2024)

FAQs

What is messy bubble milk tea? ›

Do you know what messy cup is? It was essentially "brown sugar milk tea with boba". The soul of the "messy cup" was the amber patterns that brown sugar coating on the inner wall of cups. The boba in the drink should be dipped into the brown sugar sauce made on-site, and then milk is poured directly into the cup.

How do they make bubble tea balls? ›

To create pearls, tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch) is mixed with boiling water until a kneadable consistency is achieved. The dough is cut and rolled into a spherical shape. One method of achieving the correct shape is called the gangsor method.

What tea is in bubble tea? ›

Black tea is the traditional tea for Boba tea. Using different black tea blends, like Early Gray, can provide subtle variations in flavor. Green tea, including jasmine green tea or green tea powders like matcha, is another popular base for Boba tea.

Is Boba Tea a Korean thing? ›

Bubble Tea (also known as pearl milk tea, boba milk tea, or simply boba) is a Taiwanese drink that was invented in Taichung in the 1980s. The tea is mixed with milk or fruits and topped off with chewy tapioca pearls. By the early '90s, bubble tea became prevalent in Japan and Hong Kong.

Is boba tea healthy? ›

A Quick Review. Boba tea is generally safe to drink, but you'll want to enjoy it in moderation. The beverage is usually high in sugar and calories and contains an additive that might lead to constipation. Drinking too much boba tea may increase your risk of diabetes and obesity.

What is boba bubbles made of? ›

Nowadays, most people refer to the bubble in bubble tea as Tapioca pearls, also known as boba. The yummy and chewy topping known as Tapioca Pearls are made of tapioca flour, water and brown sugar. Tapioca flour, unlike other flours, consists only of starch.

What is popping boba called? ›

Popping boba (often called bursting bubbles or popping pearls) are also spherical in shape but provide an entirely different experience and mouthfeel. These bursting bobas are created by a chemical reaction known as spherification.

What is dirty boba? ›

Dirty Boba

$6.00. 606-704 cal A creamy treat filled with brown sugar boba, topped with cheese milk foam, and drenched with brown sugar around the cup. This tasty beverage is non-caffeinated but can have tea added to balance the sweetness.

What flavour is dirty milk tea? ›

Popular all over the world! Fragrant Black tea is infused with sweet brown sugar and Q-ball brown sugar pearls, then topped with a sweet milk cap and Oreo pieces. Simply delicious!

What flavour is brown boba? ›

The tapioca pearls are cooked on low heat in brown sugar syrup so they absorb all that smoky, caramelly flavour, and these are then topped off with cold fresh milk.

Why are boba pearls black? ›

As mentioned previously – white, Tapioca pearls are made from either starch, caramel or chamomile extract. However, the more popular Tapioca pearls, which are black are made from starch, sweet potato and/or brown sugar.

Why is my tapioca dough like oobleck? ›

If your dough has turned into an oobleck, where it oozes slowly through your fingers and does not hold its shape, your tapioca starch was added too quickly and did not properly absorb, start over. No amount of added tapioca starch can save it once it has become an oobleck.

How is bursting boba made? ›

Technically they are small fruit juice spheres with a burstable shell. Popping boba are made using a spherification process that includes a reaction of sodium alginate and calcium chloride or calcium lactate. This process results in fruit juice filled “bubbles” that burst when pressure is applied to them.

How do I make melon boba tea in Dreamlight Valley? ›

Combine the milk, sugarcane, and melon within the pot, then initiate the cooking process by introducing a piece of coal. Once the cooking concludes, you'll obtain the highly sought-after Melon Boba Tea.

How to make boba tea drops? ›

How it Works
  1. Drop your Tea Drop into your cup.
  2. Add 4oz of boiling water, and then stir until the tea dissolves.
  3. In a separate cup, add your heated boba, then pour in your tea and add ice.
  4. Mix in a creamer of your choice and enjoy!

What is raspberry boba tea dreamlight valley? ›

It is a three-star dessert that replenishes a generous 1203 energy. When sold at Goofy's Stall, the Raspberry Bubble Tea will sell for 377 Star Coins.

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