A proper summer iced tea needs to be many things: pretty, delicious, refreshing, and juicy are only some of them. This Butterfly pea flower tea with popping boba ticks all the boxes. Plus, it's easy to make and 100% caffeine free so you can enjoy it any time of the day.
Learn what is butterfly pea tea and how to make this delicious boba tea at home.
What is butterfly pea tea?
Butterfly pea tea or a blue tea is tea made from dried flowers of Clitoria ternatea plant. When brewed, these flowers give a beautiful blue infusion that's unlike any other tea. While these flowers have a quite intense scent that may not appeal to all tea drinkers, they have a quite neutral taste. Plus, they are really versatile and go well with either milk or citruses. But what's really special about blue tea is that once you change the pH value by adding citruses, the colour will change into purple. The more acidity you add, the more purple the colour will be.
Butterfly pea flowers are caffeine free, which makes them perfect for making refreshing summer drinks.
Ingredients for making Butterfly Pea Tea Boba
Butterfly pea flowers: Butterfly pea flowers are sold in tea shops and Amazon. However, not all are the same. With this ingredient, it really pays off to choose quality over price. Lower quality flowers may not always produce a beautiful blue colour.
Pomegranate: Although you can use a store-bought sugar free pomegranate juice, we recommend making it yourself. You'll only need 3 tablespoons of fresh pomegranate seeds, a blender and a cheesecloth to strain it.
Lime: Fresh lime juice will add more complexity and distinct zestiness. It's less sour than lemon, so don't use lemons instead. Lychee popping boba: Popping boba pearls are available from many Asian stores and go super nice with this drink. Popping pearls are filled with liquid and will burst ones you bite into them. They are a wonderful topping for refreshing boba drinks. You can use pomegranate or raspberry popping pearls instead of lychee.
Sugar: You will need to add a sweetener to balance out the zestiness. Regular granulated sugar will work the best with this drink. Dissolve it in the hot tea, before adding ice. Alternatively, use a lighter honey.
Steps for making the drink
Make the tea: Start with bringing fresh water to a boil. Use about 10-12 dried flowers per cup of water. You can add a bit more or a bit less water, depending on your serving glass. Steep it for 5-7 minutes, or until you achieve a beautiful blue colour. Strain the tea into a clean, empty serving glass. Since butterfly pea flowers are quite big and often unbroken, you can also simply remove them with a clean teaspoon or a fork. Add sugar now because it will dissolve easier in hot tea. Add lots of ice.
Prepare pomegranate juice: Use blender to blend about 3 heaped tablespoons of pomegranate seeds. Strain the juice into a serving glass with butterfly pea flower tea. You will get about 5 teaspoons of pure pomegranate juice.
Add lime and pooping boba: Squeeze in lime juice and add popping boba pearls. Stir and serve.
Want more butterfly pea flower drink ideas? Check out this Iced Butterfly Pea Flower tea and Milky Butterfly Pea Boba with Matcha Pudding.
Butterfly Pea Tea Boba with Popping Pearls Recipe
Equipment
- Kettle and a cup for brewing the tea
- Blender and a cheesecloth for pomegranate juice
Ingredients
- 12 dry butterfly pea flowers
- 1 cup of water
- 1 glass of ice
- 3 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- ½ lime
- 1-2 tablespoons of lychee popping boba
Instructions
- Bring fresh water to a boil.
- Steep butterfly pea flowers for 5-7 minutes in hot water.
- Strain the tea into a clean serving glass and add sugar. Stir until dissolved.
- Add ice.
- Blend 3 heaped tablespoons of pomegranate seeds in a blender. Strain the juice using a cheesecloth. Pour it into tea.
- Add lime juice.
- Add popping boba pearls.