A delicious Taiwanese drink, Bubble tea or Boba, is sweet, chewy, fun, and everyone's favorite. But what if you can't find any nearby shops? This comprehensive guide will tell you everything you need to know about this sweet drink, like bubble tea, its ingredients, its nutrition level, and how to make boba tea at home.
Bubble tea has many flavors, including plain tea flavors like black or jasmine and fruit flavors like strawberry or honeydew. So, let's start to know more about it without further ado.
What Is Bubble Tea?
Bubble tea, commonly known as boba tea, originated in Taiwan in 1980. It is served with sweetened boba tea milk, and tapioca balls with an extra large straw in a sealed cup.
The tapioca balls come in two sizes: the large dark-colored, generally called boba, and the small ones are called pearls, which could be white or amber.
However, their names are interchangeable depending on the location. It could be a west coast versus east coast in the US. Also, in California, the north and south have their preferences.
It is also said that “bubbles” in bubble tea are not named because of toppings. Instead, they are called because of the foam that forms when you shake the milk.
Why Make Boba Tea At Home?
Are you wondering why you should make bubble tea at home? There are many chains in North America and Europe and stores in Southeast Asia. Then what is the need to make it at home? Well, there are many reasons. Let’s explore:
- Bubble tea bought from stores may contain harmful chemicals, like hydrogenated palm oil and harmful chemical sweeteners.
- Another reason is that it is reasonable. Making the boba pearl tea at home is much more affordable than buying it from the store.
- Additionally, homemade tapioca tea can be more of your choice in flavor and type.
- Another reason is the calorie count. When making your cup of tea, you can put calories and ingredients according to the amount that fits you.
Ingredients
Ready to make bubble tea? Here are the main ingredients of bubble tea you will need. The measurements below display a good ratio between milk, tea, simple syrup, ice, and tapioca pearls.
For the boba pearls:
- 8 cups of water.
- ½ cup of tapioca pearls.
For the tea:
- 2.5 tablespoons of black tea.
- 4 cups of water.
For the simple syrup:
- ½ cup of white sugar.
- ½ cup of water.
Final Drink
- 1 3⁄4 cups of brewed tea.
- ¼ cup of milk.
- ¼ cup of simple syrup.
- ¼ cup of ice.
- ½ cup of tapioca pearls.
How To Make Bubble Tea?
All-in-one chewy, sweet, and milky bubble tea recipes will satisfy all your cravings. In the recipe below, we will make a boba tea recipe, which is sweet and milky. Once you get the basics, you can make your boba tea at home.
Instructions
- Take out a pan, pour water and sugar on medium flame, and completely dissolve the sugar. You can use this syrup or store it in a jar.
- Take out another pan, pour and boil the water for 5-8 minutes, and cook tapioca pearls. When done, separate the cooked pearls from the water. Then, transfer the pearls to the ice bowl for 2 minutes. Now separate the boba from the hot water and mix it in half the syrup.
- Now, in the boiled water, soak the tea leaves for 5-10 minutes.
- Now, take a glass and pour tea, already prepared syrup and ice.
- At last, add tapioca pearls on top of your bubble tea and serve it with a straw.
Nutrition Level
- Calories: 540 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 133 g
- Protein: 2g Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 6 mg
- Sodium: 91 mg
- Potassium: 295 mg
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 67 g
- Vitamin A: 99 IU
- Calcium: 97 mg
- Iron: 4 mg
Top Tips for Bubble Tea
- To get the foamy effect, take the shaker, add the tea, syrup, milk, and ice, and shake it for a few seconds. Now, pour this shake into the glass with the boba syrup.
- Pour milk without tea to get an extra creamy taste.
- You can use honey, caster sugar, or light brown sugar for sweeteners.
- It is advisable to use pre-made or quick-cooked boba to save time.
- Remember, the shelf life of cooker boba is about only 3 hours.
- Drink fresh boba tea. Refrain from refrigerating the boba much longer in the refrigerator, as they will harden soon.
- The best thing about making boba at home is that you can adjust the amount of sweetness, ice, or even the style of tea according to your taste.
Final Words
This Taiwan-originated milk-based delight has been treating this world for several years. It contains tapioca pearls made with fruity, plain, or flavored syrups and seasonings. It can also be made with coffee rather than black or green tea. It is served as a creamy, cold drink that rejuvenates and pleasures.
Many boba tea shops have also started to provide boba-making home kits. These kits are handy for making boba tea at home. Moreover, these boba shops also offer more useful tools for home kits. Serve it to your mates and guests with straws.
Hopefully, you have enjoyed this guide to everything about bubble tea. If you have not tried it yet at home, please try it. You can make it better than the store! Also, it will cost you more reasonable and tastier if you make it at home.
FAQs
1. Which tea is best to make bubble tea?
Ans: The best tea choices are those with a strong taste, like black or jasmine tea. This tea will keep its strong-lasting flavor even after adding water with tea, milk, and ice cubes.
2. Which milk is best to make bubble tea?
Ans: Whole milk can be used for best tea because of its rich flavor, making the drink tastier. The other option is to use a dairy-free milk version with nuts or soy milk.
3. Which sweetener is good to use for boba tea?
Ans: Any kind of sweetener can be used. However, honey can be mixed evenly with tea. Pour at least 2 tablespoons of honey for every 2 cups of tea.
4. Can you prepare beforehand?
Ans: Yes, you can pre-make many ingredients in advance to save time, like boba pearls (uncooked), and store them for 6 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not refrigerate, as it may become hardened.
Read Also:
