DIY BUBBLE TEA AT HOME
Where Did Bubble Tea Come From?
Bubble Tea first originated in Taiwan in the 1980’s. When Taiwanese Immigrants moved over to the United States in the 90’s, they brought this delicious drink with them to California throughout regions including Los Angeles County.
The popularity of Bubble Tea began to emerge, as Taiwanese immigrants spread out throughout the country.
Now we can enjoy this delicious drink almost anywhere!
The oldest Known Bubble Tea was a hot Taiwanese Black Tea served with Tapioca Pearls, Condensed Milk and Syrup, or Honey. Now-a-days, Bubble Tea is most commonly served cold.
What is Bubble Tea?
Bubble Tea is a delicious combination of Tea and chewy Tapioca Balls (“Pearls”).
It falls under 2 categories, Teas without milk, and teas with milk (‘Milk Teas’).
There is a range of names this drink falls under, such as ‘Pearl Milk Tea’, ‘Bubble Milk Tea’, ‘Tapioca Milk Tea’, ‘Boba Tea’, or just “Boba”. This tea comes with other toppings as well, such as Grass Jelly, Aloe Vera, Red Bean and Popping Boba.
There are many varieties of tea you can enjoy in this drink, such as black tea , green tea, & oolong tea, as well as white tea.
You can choose to partner with either powdered or fresh milk to give that creamy rich taste. Personalize it with Condensed Milk, Almond Milk, Soy Milk, or Coconut Milk, whichever YOU prefer!!
The Tapioca Pearls were originally made from the starch of Casava – a tropical shrub known for its starchy roots. They were typically much smaller than todays Tapioca Pearls .
When purchasing a Bubble Tea nowadays, its typical to see it served in a plastic cup with a heat -sealed lid.
Now let’s begin so we can enjoy!
WHAT YOU NEED!
BOBA CUPS WITH STRAWS:
To start making these delicious drinks at home, we need to start you out with the proper cup so you are able to enjoy the origin of this drink as it was introduced! There is a variety of different cups you can purchase on Amazon today to get you started!
See Below, or click the button below to bring you right to the right spot on Amazon.
TAPIOCA PEARL OPTIONS:
Let's choose your Tapioca Pearls Now! Shout out to Amazon for having such a wide variety of tapioca pearls to choose from! From regular to flavored ones! They have them all!
Click button below to bring you right to Amazon's Tapioca Pearls Page 🙂
LOOSE LEAF TEA IDEAS:
Lastly, we need to now choose our tea! You can purchase pre-made Bubble Tea Mixes (as seen below) or a loose leaf of your choice!
Go straight to Amazon’s Loose Leaf Tea options by clicking the button below
INCASE YOU PREFER TO MAKE YOUR OWN SWEET SYRUP...
TRADITIONAL BROWN SUGAR SYRUP:
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 CUP BROWN SUGAR (LIGHT OR DARK)
- 1/2 CUP WATER
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan on the stove
2. Bring to a gentle simmer on medium low heat while stirring occasionally.
3. Cook for 5-7 minutes until sugar has dissolved and mixture has slightly thickened.
NOW LET'S MAKE BUBBLE TEA!
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 TBSP LOOSE LEAF TEA
- 1 CUP HOT WATER
- 1/4 CUP COOKED TAPIOCA PEARLS FOLLOW DIRECTIONS ON PACKAGE)
- ICE
- BROWN SUGAR SYRUP
INSTRUCTIONS:
STEP 1: (MAKE AHEAD OF TIME!) Brew your tea. Steep a little longer than you typically would, so that your Bubble Tea (AKA Boba Tea) has rich full bodied flavor! Steep approximately 5 minutes.
STEP2: Chill tea in the fridge until cool! If you are in an absolute rush to get out the door, you can poor over ice! This will dilute the tea, however if you steep longer, it’ll be fine! Always a plan B!
STEP3: Place cooked Tapioca Pearls in the bottom of a tall glass.
STEP4: Add your sweetener of choice, like Honey or Agave, or a simple brown sugar syrup, (like recipe above). Drizzle on inside of the glass.
STEP5: Add your ice!
STEP6: Pour your steeped, chilled tea over the ice, about 2/3 of the way up the glass.
STEP7: If preferred but not necessary, add a splash of your favorite milk to add a rich creamy taste and texture!
STEP8: Pop in your Boba Straw and give it a stir until combined.
STEP9: ENJOY!
CLICK BUTTON TO BRING YOU TO BUBBLE TEA RECIPES!
