What is Bubble Tea?
Bubble tea, also known as pearl milk tea or boba, is a Taiwanese tea-based drink that contains chewy tapioca pearls known as boba. These chewy boba balls are usually black, but can come in other flavors as well. Bubble tea usually consists of a tea base mixed with fruit or milk, to which chewy tapioca pearls and other toppings are added. It can be served hot or cold, and is a popular drink all over the world.
What is Bubble Tea Made Of?
Bubble tea is made up of:
Tea Base: The tea base can be any type of tea including green tea, oolong tea, black tea, white tea, pu-erh tea, flavoured tea, or just plain old brewed tea.
Toppings: Toppings can include boba, popping boba, aloe vera, pudding, egg custard, grass jelly, aiyu jelly, fruit jelly, peanuts, lychee jelly, nata de coco, and even ice cream.
Milk: The milk component of bubble tea can be dairy or non-dairy. Dairy options include evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream, and whole or low-fat milk. Non-dairy options would be soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, and coconut milk.
Sweetener: For sweetness, honey, agave, syrup, rock sugar, and/or other sweeteners can be added to the bubble tea.
How to Make Bubble Tea?
Making bubble tea is a fun and easy process. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 tea bags or 2 tablespoons of black tea leaves.
- 4 cups of hot water.
- 1-2 tablespoons of sugar.
- ½ cup of milk of your choice.
- ½ cup of boba.
- Ice cubes.
To prepare bubble tea, first steep the tea bags or leaves in the hot water. Then, add the milk and the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the boba to the tea and let it steep for 10 minutes. Finally, fill four cups with ice cubes and pour the bubble tea over the ice. Serve and enjoy!
