Ingredients for making Brownie Boba

Black tea leaves

The best black teas for this bubble tea are teas with natural chocolaty flavour, such as Chinese Dian Hong or Indian Assam tea with less maltiness and more chocolaty notes. To bring out a slightly toasty note, dry roast them before steeping for a couple of seconds using a clean preheated saucepan.

Milky ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll need regular whole milk and condensed milk. Whole milk is used to make the bottom layer. You can replace it with semi-skimmed milk. If you want to replace sweet, condensed milk, you can use either evaporated milk (less sweetness) or single/double cream.

Cocoa powder

Since cocoa is a main flavour in this boba tea, choose only high-quality cocoa powder. But instead of adding cocoa directly to tea, a much better way is to make chocolate syrup instead. This syrup is much lighter than the classic syrup. It contains more milk and a bit of butter.

Boba pearls

Boba pearls are what makes boba tea a boba tea. They are mad from tapioca starch and sugar and readily available. The most classical flavour is black sugar flavour that goes well with almost any milky boba tea. Alternatively, you can make your own boba pearls at home.

Sugar

You’ll need sugar for both chocolate syrup and for making brown sugar syrup. The best one? Brown sugar! Brown sugar has a unique caramel touch, and it’s perfect for making bubble teas. Both light brown or dark brown sugar will work. However, if you want to get as close to the traditional flavour, use dark muscovado sugar or soft dark sugar.

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Homemade Brownie Chocolate Boba

Delicious boba from a scratch

Course Drinks

Keyword Black Tea, Boba Tea, Chocolate

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• small saucepan (for making sugar syrup, cooking boba pearls and making chocolate syrup)
• Flat saucepan
• Kettle
• Serving glass

Ingredients

For the bottom chocolate layer:

• 80 ml milk
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 3 teaspoon brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons cocoa powder

For milk tea:

• 220 ml water
• 1 heaped teaspoon roasted Dian Hong tea
• 1 tablespoon condensed milk
• 30 grams black sugar boba pearls
• Ice

For sugar syrup

• 4 tablespoon brown sugar
• 50 ml water

Instructions

• Combine 4 heaped tablespoons of brown sugar and 50 ml of water in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat and stir gently until sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for3-4 minutes.
• Cook boba pearls per instruction on the packaging and coat them in sugar syrup. You don’t need to use all syrup, just enough to cover all pearls.
• Add milk, sugar and sifted cocoa powder into a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat until it thickens. While simmering, stir using a spoon or a whisk until smooth. Turn off the heat, add butter and stir.
• Preheat a flat saucepan, add tea leaves and dry roast them for 5-10 seconds on medium heat until fragrant.
• Bring water to a boil and steep 1 heaped teaspoon of dry roasted tea leaves in 220 ml of water for about 3 minutes.
• Pour chocolate syrup into a serving glass.
• Add syrup coated boba pearls.
• Add ice cubes.
• Gently pour tea over ice cubes.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of condensed milk and serve.

The post Brownie Chocolate Boba appeared first on All That Tea.

Ingredients

To make any milk tea at home, you’ll need only a few basic ingredients – tea leaves (or tea bags), syrup or honey, milk, ice and water. To make a super delicious milk tea dessert, you’ll need one more – Angel Delight.

This milk tea is not a typical boba tea – it’s prepared by simmering, rather than steeping. It does contain boba pearls, but you can easily exclude it and still have a delicious milk tea.

Black tea

Black tea is one of the best choices for making any classic milk tea. Many pure black tea types go well with milk and give a rich deep flavour. The best teas to use for this drink are:

• Strawberry flavoured black teas
• Pure Assam tea
• CTC teas
• Kenyan black teas
• Strong breakfast blends, including English, Irish and Scottish breakfast teas

Preferably, you want to use tea that has smaller broken leaves that will give a stronger and deeper infusion. Alternatively, use tea bags.

Milk

Full fat (whole) milk is always the best option for making milk teas. Semi-skimmed is fine too but try to avoid the skimmed one. Some milk alternatives such as cashew or barista style oat milk are great too. You can make this tea more or less milky, depending on your preference.

Angel Delight

Angel Delight is a true classic among instant desserts that seem to never go out of fashion. It will give both flavour and incredibly rich texture to this milk tea, transforming it into a proper dessert. This recipe is made with strawberry flavoured Angel Delight, but you can use Butterscotch, Banana, Chocolate or even Chocolate Mint flavours too. If you are using flavours other than strawberry, use pure black tea leaves. Three teaspoons of Angel Delight will give the right amount of flavour while not overpowering black tea.  

Sugar syrup

You’ll need sugar syrup to add sweetness and to coat boba pearls. To make a simple sugar syrup, use 1:1 ratio of water to sugar. Use regular white granulated sugar for a neutral flavour or replace it with light brown or dark brown sugar. Both of them will add either lighter or stronger caramel note. Brown sugar syrup is great for Butterscotch, Banana and Chocolate flavours, and regular sugar syrup may be better for Strawberry and Chocolate Mint. If you don’t have or don’t want to use simple syrup, you can replace it with light floral honey.

Learn how to make chai demerara simple syrup here.

Black sugar tapioca pearls

No boba is ever complete without a chewy topping. Black sugar tapioca pearls as great in this milk tea, with any of the flavours. Cook them as per instructions on the packaging and coat in sugar syrup.

If you want to make your own tapioca pearls at home, check out this recipe here.

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Angel Delight Milk Tea

Delicious boba tea dessert

Course Drinks

Keyword Black Tea, Boba Tea, Milk Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• saucepan
• Electric hand whisk

Ingredients

• 100 ml water
• 100 ml milk
• 3 heaped teaspoons Angel Delight
• 1-2 teaspoons simple syrup or honey
• 30 grams black sugar tapioca pearls
• 1 ½-2 teaspoons black tea

Instructions

• Cook boba pearls following instructions on the packaging and coat them in 1-2 teaspoons of simple syrup.
• Add water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
• Add tea and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Add milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Strain into a glass, add Angel delight and whisk with a hand frother.
• Add boba pearls.
• Add ice and serve immediately.

The post Angel Delight Milk Tea Recipe appeared first on All That Tea.

Why try it?

Let’s admit it. Banana Bread is one of those desserts no one thinks of making until you have spare ripe bananas that you don’t really want to waste. Regardless, it’s one of the most delicious and satisfying desserts ever. And it’s extremely popular. It’s not uncommon to see banana bread flavoured drinks, including different cocktails and even beer. This Banana Bread tea recipe was inspired by warm and sweet notes of rich and tasty homemade banana bread. You can serve it with lots of ice, like a regular boba, or even hot.

Ingredients for making Banana Bread tea

Black Tea – the best black tea for making Banana Bread boba is a strong English Breakfast, chocolaty Dian Hong or chocolaty and malty Assam tea. Your tea base should be strong. Use 1 1/2 teaspoon of tea leaves per 250 ml of water. To add a subtle baked note, dry roast tea leaves for 10 second in a clean hot pan before steeping them.

Creamer – Instead of whole milk, opt for half-and-half or coffee creamer. They have a higer fat percentage and will give a much nicer texture and flavour. A good alternative is single cream.

Boba pearls – although you can use regular brown sugar boba pearls, to really elevate this drink, use homemade banana boba pearls instead. Although easy to make, the entire process can be a time consuming, so prepare them when you have time and store uncooked in the fridge or freezer. A great alternative to boba pearls for this drink is banana pudding. If you are using pudding, add it after you add ice. Ingredients for banana boba pearls are listed in the recipe below.

Find the recipe for making homemade boba pearls here.

Banana extract – this drink is made with banana extract rather than real bananas. Use extracts that have a natural banana flavour without artificial notes. Banana extracts are readily available in specialty stores, Asian grocery stores and even regular supermarkets (depending on your location).

Sweetener – Demerara sugar with a naturally light caramel flavour is a perfect sweetener for this drink. You can replace it with regular sugar, but the drink will lose some of the complexity and flavour. The best alternative is light brown sugar or honey. If you are using sugar, make a simple syrup following this recipe, but use water instead of tea.

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Banana Bread Milk Tea

Homemade dessert milk tea

Course Drinks

Keyword Autumn, Black Tea, Boba Tea, Dessert Tea, Milk Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• Kettle
• saucepan
• Serving glass

Ingredients

For banana boba pearls

• 15 grams light brown sugar
• 35 grams tapioca starch
• 1 teaspoon banana extract
• 20 ml water
• Yellow food colour optional, some extracts already contain yellow colour

For banana bread milk tea

• 250 ml water
• 1 ½ teaspoon black tea leaves
• 10-15 ml half and half of coffee creamer
• ½ teaspoon banana extract
• A few drops vanilla extract
• 3 teaspoons demerara syrup
• Ice
• 1 litre water for boiling tapioca pearls

Instructions

• Start by preparing the tea base. Preheat a clean saucepan and add tea leaves. Dry roast them for 10-15 seconds.
• Bring fresh water to a boil and steep tea leaves in 250 ml of water for 5 minutes.
• Strain it into a serving glass or mug.
• Add vanilla and banana extract and stir.
• While the tea is steeping, add about a litre of water into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add boba pearls and cook them following instructions on the packaging. If you are using homemade boba pearls, wait until they are all floating on the surface, then reduce the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the saucepan and let them rest for another 10-15 minutes. Strain boba pearls into a clean bowl and coat them in demerara sugar syrup.

  If your boba pearls turn from chewy to hard in cold tea, cook them slightly longer next time.
• Add cooked and coated boba pearls to brewed tea.
• Add ice.
• Add creamer and more sugar syrup if needed.

The post Banana Bread Tea – Homemade Dessert Boba appeared first on All That Tea.

Sometimes, regular boba is just not enough. This custard bubble tea is filled with custardy flavours, creamy and just so delicious. Sounds like a great alternative to a regular bubble tea, doesn’t it? Since you don’t need to make the custard from a scratch, this drink is super easy to make.

Custard and boba tea

Custard and boba tea have been a delicious match for many years. However, a typical custard boba will contain custard pudding, rather than the custard itself. And that’s exactly what makes this recipe super tasty. Besides, it’s much creamier than regular boba tea. This recipe is made with instant custard powder, but you can use ready to eat custard too.

Which boba pearls to use?

Boba pearls or tapioca pearls are a chewy ingredient that makes boba tea a boba tea. Pre-made boba pearls are easy to cook and come in a whole range of flavours, with the most popular one being brown sugar. Taro boba pearls are a great alternative for this recipe.

Ingredients for making custard bubble tea

Custard powder – 2-3 teaspoons of custard powder will be enough to get a delicious creamy texture. Heat the milk, add powder and whisk until smooth. Then add it to a brewed tea. If you are using ready to eat custard, use it instead of milk.

Milk – when making custard to milk teas, whole or full-fat milk is always the best choice. However, since the custard powder will make the drink creamier, you can opt for semi-skimmed milk too. If using a milk alternative, choose barista style milk or cashew milk. Barista style milk alternatives tend to have a higher sugar content, so use less honey if you prefer less sweet drinks.   

Black tea — Breakfast blends and Indian Assam tea with chocolate notes will work well with this recipe. Avoid black teas that are too crisp and light. Choose teas you’d typically drink with milk. When making any milk tea, it’s always a good idea to make a stronger tea base with 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of tea leaves.

Sweetener – honey is a perfect sweetener for this drink. Use it instead of simple syrup to coat boba pearls and to adjust the sweetness.

Boba pearls – use either brown sugar boba or taro boba pearls. Brown sugar tapioca pearls are readily available online, while taro pearls can be found in specialised Asian grocery stores. Alternatively, you can make your own boba pearls with tapioca starch water, sugar and some vanilla flavouring.

Love custard? Try out this Custard Milk Tea recipe too.

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Custard Bubble Tea

Creamy and easy to make at home

Course Drinks

Keyword Autumn, Black Tea, Boba Tea, Milk Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• Kettle
• saucepan
• strainer

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons instant custard powder
• 100 ml milk
• 170 ml water
• 1 1/2 heaped teaspoon black tea
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 teaspoons honey
• 30-50 grams taro boba pearls

Instructions

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Steep 2 teaspoons of black tea in 170 ml of water for 5 minutes.
• Strain the tea into a serving glass.
• Add ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• Add milk into a saucepan andsimmer on low-medium heat. Once hot, add 2-3 heaped teaspoons of custard powder and whisk until smooth.
• Cook tapioca pearls following the instructions on the packaging.
• Strain boba pearl and coat them in honey.
• Add boba pearls together with honey into a serving glass.
• Add ice and top up with custard milk.

The post Creamy Custard Bubble Tea appeared first on All That Tea.

Why Saffron and Chamomil Bubble Tea?

Chamomile has long been one of the most popular herbal teas around the world. With a delicious light floral honey-like flavour and potential soothing and calming properties, it’s a must have tisane for any season [1]. Even though this tisane is extremely popular, it’s rarely used for making boba teas. This boba with benefits recipe will definitely change how you feel about chamomile. In fact, it’ll make you change how you feel about boba tea too.

And why saffron? Saffron (Crocus sativus) is a luxurious spice with a very strong flavour and range of uses. One of its most prominent benefits is the potential anxiolytic effect [2]. Together, these two ingredients not only taste delicious, but make for a perfect sleepy time boba that you can do in a matter of minute.

Ingredients for Making Saffron Chamomile Bubble Tea

Chamomile – if possible, choose loose chamomile tea. Loose flowers will taste amazing, with a more refined, complex note. If you don’t have loose chamomile tea, you can choose chamomile tea bags too.

Saffron – choose real saffron, rather than safflower. Safflower is a completely different ingredient and won’t offer the same flavour. Add only a tiny bit, as saffron has a really intense flavour.

Honey – honey is a perfect sweetener for this sleepy time boba tea. Not only will it taste better than regular granulated sugar, but it may actually offer some anti-anxiety benefits too[3].

Brown sugar boba – brown sugar boba is a perfect choice for this tea. Cook them per instructions on the packaging. You can cook them beforehand, coat in honey and store in the fridge for a couple of days. Heat them up in a microwave for 30-45 seconds before use.

Milky ingredient – the best milky ingredient for this boba tea is a coffee creamer with a higher percentage of fat or half and half. You’ll only need one tablespoon.

Vanilla extract – vanilla extract is an optional ingredient. Use only 1/3 to ½ teaspoon per serving. It will add a delicious light vanilla note that goes well with both chamomile and saffron.  

2 Ways of Adding Saffron to This Sleepy Time Boba

You can use saffron in two ways. The first ways is to steep saffron together with chamomile flowers. The second way is making a saffron ice and adding it while assembling the drink. Saffron ice will make this drink visually really appealing and it’s very easy to make. Steep saffron in boiling water for 10 minutes, pour into ice moulds and freeze. Whichever way you choose, use only a tiny amount. The part of saffron flower that’s used as a spice is called stigma and looks like a thin red thread. You’ll only need 1/2-2 for steeping or 1-3 for making saffron ice, depending on how long they are. When adding ice to your boba tea, mix it with plain ice to adjust the strength.

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Saffron Chamomile Bubble Tea

Delicious boba with benefits

Course Drinks

Keyword Boba Tea, Caffeine free, Chamomile, Saffron

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• saucepan
• Kettle
• Ice mould

Ingredients

• 3-4 teaspoons loose chamomile flowers or 2 chamomile tea bags
• 200 ml water for making tea
• 1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 30 grams boba
• 1 litre water for cooking boba pearls
• 1-2 teaspoons honey
• 15 ml half and half or coffee creamer 1 tablespoon
• saffron ice
• regular ice

For saffron ice

• 1-3 threads saffron depending on the length
• 150 ml water or depending on the ice mould

Instructions

For saffron ice

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Steep 1-3 saffron threads in 150 ml of water for 10 minutes.
• Strain or remove the threads (depending on how long the threads are), pour into an ice mould and freeze.

For boba tea

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Steep chamomile flowers or tea bags in freshly boiled water for 5-7 minutes.
• In the meantime, in a clean saucepan, bring water for cooking boba pearls toa boil. Add boba pearls and wait until they rise to the surface. Cover and simmer for a couple of minutes.
• Strain them, add into a clean bowl, add honey and stir.
• Strain the tea into a serving glass.
• Add honey coated boba pearls.
• Add ½ regular ice and ½ of saffron ice. (or adjust the ratio)
• Add coffee creamer or half and half.
• Serve.

Sources

 [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/

[2] https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/saffron-powerfully-modulates-anxiety-and-depression

[3] https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-honey/art-20363819

The post Saffron Chamomile Bubble Tea appeared first on All That Tea.

What is a tea tonic?

Tea tonic is a drink made with icy cold tonic and brewed tea. The idea originated from coffee tonic; a refreshing drink made with a shot of espresso poured over cold tonic. To get a two layered look, make sure the tonic is fresh and icy cold and always pour tea straight onto the ice.

Tea tonic usually contains a caffeinated tea, so make sure to use a decaf tea for a caffeine-free drink.

What is the best tea for making tea tonic boba?

You can use any tea you want to make this drink. Earl grey is a wonderful classic choice that pairs extremely well with tonic and grape flavoured boba pearls. You can also use other types of black tea, both flavoured and pure. Stronger pure of flavoured green teas, dark oolongs, ripe pu’erh and flavoured shou mei white teas are all great choices. Choose teas you usually enjoy drinking.

Tonic is already sweet enough, and this drink doesn’t need any additional sweeteners. However, always brew the tea properly to avoid extreme bitterness or murkiness.

Some great teas to try:

• Assam black tea
• Mango flavoured black tea
• Coconut flavoured black tea
• Peach flavoured green tea
• Red robe oolong tea

Why adding popping boba?

Popping boba is a boba tea ingredient filled with fruit juices. When you bite into it, popping boba will burst, adding another delicious fruity note to tea tonic. These boba pearls are used for making fruit bobas rather than milk boba teas. They come in a whole range of flavours, such as peach, pineapple, lychee, grapes, mango etc. Popping boba doesn’t need to be cooked or washed and you can simply add them to any juice or drink.

Ingredients for making Tea Tonic Boba

Tonic: choose any tonic you want, as long as it’s freshly opened. Avoid using flat tonics. Alternatively, you can use a flavoured carbonated water too.  

Tea: make a stronger brew using 1 heaped teaspoon of tea leaves, and steep for 3-5 minutes, depending on the tea type. If you want to extract more flavour, add more tea leaves instead of steeping them longer.

Popping boba: They are usually available in smaller containers, enough for making three drinks. If you are using regular unflavoured black or green tea, choose your favourite flavour. If you are using flavoured teas, try to match the popping boba flavour with the flavour of tea. Grape flavoured pearls pair extremelly well with earl grey tea. Add popping boba before adding ice.

Ice: add lots of ice into tonic before adding tea. Set aside for a couple of minutes until your tonic is icy cold. While waiting, brew the tea to save time.

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Earl Grey Tea Tonic Boba

Super tasty tea tonic boba with grape popping pearls

Course Drinks

Keyword Black Tea, Earl Grey, Popping Boba

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• Kettle
• Serving glass

Ingredients

• 120 ml tonic or 1/3 glass
• 120 ml brewed tea or 1/3 glass
• 3 tablespoons of grape popping boba
• 1 heaped teaspoon Earl Grey tea or tea of your choice
• 150 ml water for making tea
• ice

Instructions

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Pour 120 ml of cold tonic into a serving glass.
• Add popping boba and lots of ice. Set aside.
• Steep 1 heaped teaspoon of tea leaves in freshly boiled water for 3-5 minutes.
• If needed, add more ice into a serving glass with tonic and popping boba. Slowly pour freshly boiled tea directly onto ice.
• Serve immediately. Add boba straw or a long-handled teaspoon.

The post Earl Grey Tea Tonic Boba appeared first on All That Tea.

Ingredients for making Peach Tea Boba

Fresh peach: Only use ripe peaches, otherwise the peach flavour will be very mild. If you can’t get fresh ripe peaches, the best alternative are the canned ones. One larger peach will be enough to make 2 servings of the bottom peach layer. You don’t need to peel them. If you do, the colour of the syrup will be more yellow, otherwise it will be orange-red.

Sugar: The best type of sugar for this recipe is white granulated sugar.

Black tea: Although you can use any quality strong black tea, a second flush Darjeeling is one of the best teas to use for this recipe. It’s fruity and floral, rich and pairs amazingly well with peach. Second flush Darjeeling is widely available and a genuine delight to drink pure too. A good alternative is a malty and rich Assam or a regular breakfast blend.

Tapioca pearls: Tapioca pearls are usually used for milk teas, while fruit bobas will often contain juicy popping pearls. This recipe is great with brown sugar boba pearls as the peach layer is thicker than regular juice. However, feel free to replace brown sugar boba with peach popping boba.

Instructions

Make the peach layer: To make the peach layer wash and cut one larger peach into thin slices. Add it into a small saucepan with 150 ml of water and 2-3 spoons of sugar and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes, then strain it through a cheesecloth. Another way is to blend it first, then strain it. Syrup won’t be as clear, but it will have lots of flavour, with a texture closer to a peach juice with pulp.

You can make this layer ahead of time and store it in the fridge.

Brew the tea: Bring fresh water to a boil. Measure 1 heaped teaspoon of 2nd flush Darjeeling tea leaves and steep them in 220 ml of water for 3 minutes. Choose high quality odourless water that won’t impact the flavour of the tea.

Cook tapioca pearls: Cook tapioca pearls following instructions on the packaging. Use at least 500 ml of water and bring it to a boil. Add tapioca pearls, wait until they are all floating on the surface, then cover and simmer for a few more minutes.

Assemble the drink: To assemble the peach tea boba, pour ½ of the peach syrup into a serving glass. Add tapioca pearls right after straining them. You don’t need to coat them. Add ice and slowly pour brewed tea over ice.

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Peach Tea Boba

Flavourful summer fruity boba tea

Course Drinks

Keyword Black Tea, Boba Tea, Peach Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Equipment

• Kettle
• saucepan
• Cheesecloth

Ingredients

• 150 ml of water for cooking peaches ,
• 1 large ripe peach – washed and cut into thin slices (peeled or not)
• 2-3 spoons of sugar depending on how sweet the peach is
• 220 ml of water for making tea
• 1 heaped teaspoon of second flush Darjeeling tea
• 500 ml water for cooking boba pearls
• 40 grams of brown sugar boba pearls
• Ice

Instructions

• Wash and cut one peach into thin slices.
• Add it into a small saucepan together with 150 ml of water and 2-3 tablespoons of sugar.
• Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally until all sugar dissolves.
• Let it cool slightly then strain it through a cheesecloth.
• Bring water to a boil. Add half a litre to asaucepan to cook boba pearls and use 220 ml to brew tea. Steep one heaped teaspoon of tea leaves for 3 minutes.
• To cook boba pearls, add them into a boiling water, wait until they are all floating on the surface, then cover and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Strain them immediately.
• Add peach syrup into a serving glass. Divide between 2 glasses.
• Add boba pearls.
• Add ice and pour brewed black tea onto ice.

The post Peach Tea Boba appeared first on All That Tea.

Ingredients for making Black Tea & Coconut Milk Boba

Coconut cream: Coconut cream is much thicker than coconut milk. It’s high in calories (over 200 kcal per 100 grams). It’s rich in fat and usually contains about 2 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein per 100 grams. On the other hand, coconut milk is very low in fat, and if unsweetened, contains the same amount of sugar as coconut cream, but slightly less protein. Barista style coconut milk will often have much more sugar.

Milk: In this recipe, coconut cream is mixed with regular milk to get the best texture. For a vegan friendly drink, use a milk alternative.

Black tea: Choosing good quality black tea leaves is a must if you want to get the best tasting boba tea, especially if you want to keep the layers separated. Both colour and flavour will matter. You can use tea bags too, but loose tea will often have a better flavour will less bitterness and no murkiness.

Boba pearls: Black sugar boba pearls go really well with this black tea and coconut milk boba. Other good flavours are original boba or homemade hojicha boba pearls. For the best flavour and chewiness, cook boba pearls before serving.

Sugar: Neither black tea nor coconut cream are sweet, so you will need to use a sweetener. Add sugar only to coconut cream and milk, not to black tea. 1 teaspoon will be enough for a lightly sweetened tea. You can add 1-2 teaspoons more, depending on how sweet you want it to be.

Can I replace coconut cream with coconut milk?

Yes, you can replace coconut cream with regular coconut milk. There are dozens of coconut milks out there, so choose those with a higher sugar content and better texture. If you are using pure coconut milk, just add 100 ml of milk instead of 50 ml of cream and 50 ml of dairy milk. To keep layers apart, you may need to add 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar more – depending on which coconut milk you are using and how sweet you want it to be. However, if you have coconut cream at home, use it. It will give a much nicer texture and flavour. Coconut milk is usually quite watery, often more than other plant-based milks.

Which black tea is the best for making this boba tea?

To make the best tasting coconut milk boba, always use high quality black teas. Pay attention to the flavour profile and choose teas with malty, chocolaty or sweet notes. Alternatively, you can choose vanilla, cream, Irish cream, chocolate or coconut flavoured tea blends. If you are using flavoured blends, don’t add the vanilla extract. We used a standard loose leaf Assam tea with a strong malty flavour.

Steps for making Black Tea & Coconut Milk Boba

Cook boba pearls: Start with cooking boba pearls. Cooking boba pearls will take about 10 minutes, and you can prepare tea and coconut milk while they are cooking.

Make the tea: Bring fresh water to a boil and steep 1 heaped teaspoon of black tea leaves in 120-150 ml of water for 3-5 minutes. Always make tea right before assembling the drink, otherwise it will get murky and potentially bitter. Do not add any sugar to black tea. Strain it after 3-5, add vanilla extract (optional) and set aside.

Mix coconut cream with milk: While the boba pearls are cooking and tea steeping, mix coconut cream and milk in 1:1 ratio and add sugar. Simmer it over low heat while stirring, until sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat.

Assemble the drink: To get a pretty layered look, always follow the correct order when assembling the drink. Add coconut milk first, then add tapioca pearls and lots of ice, and then slowly pour prepared black tea over ice cubes.

Can I add sugar to black tea?

Do not add sugar to black tea if you want a perfectly layered drink. Once you mix your layers (if you want to), this boba tea will be sweet enough even if you don’t add additional sugar to black tea. But to truly enjoy the flavour of both layers, do not over brew black tea as it will become bitter. Also, use high quality black tea only, the one you’d typically drink and the one you enjoy.

Do I need to coat boba pearls in honey or simple syrup?

Cooked boba pearls need to be coated in simple syrup or honey or they will stick to each other. If you are using freshly cooked boba pearls, you don’t need to coat them. They won’t stick in a drink. However, if you are using coated boba pearls that you already cooked a day or two before, you may need to reduce the amount of sugar.

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Black Tea & Coconut Milk Boba

Super tasty layered coconut milk boba tea

Course Drinks

Keyword Black Tea, Boba Tea, Coconut Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• saucepan for cooking boba pearls
• saucepan for heating coconut cream and milk
• Infuser or a teapot for brewing black tea
• Serving glass 300-350 ml

Ingredients

• 50 ml of coconut milk
• 50 ml of water
• 1-2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 heaped teaspoon of black tea leaves
• 120-150 ml of water
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract optional

Instructions

• Cook tapioca pearls following instructions on the packaging.
• Bring fresh water to a boil and steep 1 heaped teaspoon of black tea leaves in 120 ml of water for 3-5 minutes. Strain or remove the infuser/tea filter. Add vanilla extract (optional).
• Add coconut milk, 1-2 teaspoons of sugar, and milk into a small saucepan. Start heating it on low heat until sugar melts. Do not let it boil.
• Pour the coconut milk into a serving glass.
• Add cooked tapioca pearls.
• Add ice.
• Now slowly pour brewed tea into the serving glass, pouring directly over ice.
• Add more ice if needed and serve.

The post Black Tea & Coconut Milk Boba appeared first on All That Tea.

What are the boba pearls?

Boba pearls are large tapioca pearls used as a topping for milk tea. They are not the same as small tapioca pearls. Although they are both made from tapioca starch, small pearls are usually used for desserts, and big boba pearls are used for boba tea. Small pearls are unsweetened and usually contain only tapioca starch. Big boba pearls contain additional ingredients and are available in many flavours. When making boba pearls for boba tea at home, you’ll need only 2 basic ingredients. 

What is hojicha?

Hojicha is a type of roasted Japanese green tea. Unlike other green teas, hojicha is brown and has a distinctive roasted flavour. It’s an amazing tea type for making iced teas or milky drinks and it’s as tasty when you make it the traditional way. Hojicha powder is not as popular as matcha tea powder, but it’s as versatile. You can use it for making lattes, pudding, add into cookies, or for making boba pearls. Hojicha powder is actually slightly easier to use than matcha powder. It won’t clump as much and you’ll need much less powder to achieve strong flavour and colour.

Hojicha Boba Pearls Recipe Ingredients

Hojicha tea powder: using hojicha tea powder will give a much nicer colour and flavour than using brewed hojicha tea. However, if you can find hojicha tea powder, you can replace it with strongly brewed hojicha tea instead. Just replace the water content with brewed tea. You’ll also need to add a bit more tapioca starch or reduce the amount of liquid ingredient.

Tapioca starch: tapioca starch is readily available from different shops and is very affordable, too. One package of 250 grams of tapioca starch will yield approximately 10-15 servings of boba pearls.

Sugar: Use either a regular white granulated sugar or light or dark brown sugar – depending on which flavour you’re aiming for. Brown sugar will add a caramel/toffee note that goes really well with hojicha tea powder. However, regular white sugar will work great too.

This hojicha boba pearls recipe yields 3-4 servings. Although making boba pearls will allow you to use different flavor and colors, it will be time consuming. Therefore, starting will less and making 3-4 servings is usually better than making lots of boba pearls at once – especially if you never made them before.

Steps for making Hojicha Boba Pearls

Sift the tea powder and starch: start by sifting the tapioca starch and hojicha tea powder into a clean bowl. While it’s not mandatory to sift starch, it’s always a good idea to do it to remove any lumps. Sifting tea powders is a must, regardless of if you are preparing drinks or baking with them. Mix sifted starch and tea powder well.

Melt sugar in water: add water and sugar into a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat, while continuously stirring until sugar dissolves. Turn the heat on medium-high, until you see small bubbles forming.

Add tapioca starch with tea powder: Turn the heat off and start adding tapioca starch with tea powder while continuously stirring. Once the dough forms, transfer it onto a clean working surface. Knead it until you get a smooth dough that’s neither too sticky nor too dry. You may add more starch or more water if needed.

Make tapioca pearls: Take a small chunk of dough and start making small pearls using your hands. Keep the rest of the dough in the saucepan that’s still warm, covered. While there are many methods to make pearls of the same size, the best way is to take a piece of dough and roll it between your fingers. That’s because the dough will dry out fast. Place them on a baking sheet. Once you’re done, dust them with tapioca starch and let them dry.

How to cook tapioca pearls?

Cooking process for homemade tapioca pearls is the same as the cooking process for store-bought tapioca pearls, except it will take longer. Add about a litre of water into a clean saucepan and bring it to a boil. Then add tapioca pearls. Once they rise to the surface, continue cooking on medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave them in the saucepan covered for another 10-15 minutes. Strain them and mix with a homemade simple syrup or sugar – otherwise they will dry out. Tapioca pearls are best cooked right before serving, although you can keep syrup coated cooked pearls in the fridge for a couple of days. Never store uncoated cooked pearls – they will stick to each other and lose chewiness.

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Homemade Hojicha Boba Pearls

Easy recipe for making tapioca pearls for boba tea at home

Course Drinks

Keyword Boba Pearls, Boba Tea, Green Tea, Hojicha

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Equipment

• saucepan
• Sifter
• bowl

Ingredients

• 70 grams of tapioca starch
• 30 grams of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of hojicha powder
• 50 ml of water

Instructions

• Sift tapioca starch and hojicha tea powder into a clean bowl. Mix well.
• Add water and sugar into a small saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves andsmall bubbles start forming. Turn off the heat.
• Start adding flour and tea mixture while continuously stirring with thespoon or a wooden spatula until dough forms.
• Transform the dough onto a clean working surface and knead it until you geta fine texture, neither too sticky nor too dry.
• Take a very small piece of dough and make a pearl using your fingers. Theyshould be about 6-7mm in diameter. If you are making larger pearls, they willbe too big for boba straw. Place pearls on a baking paper. Repeat until you useup all the dough.
• Dust tapioca pearls with tapioca starch and let them dry for a couple ofhours or cook them immediately.

The post Homemade Hojicha Boba Pearls Recipe appeared first on All That Tea.

What is a fruity boba?

Until a decade ago, boba tea was still somewhat of a mystery. Today, it’s one of the most popular tea drinks worldwide. This doesn’t come as a surprise. Boba tea is unique, flavourful, chewy, and fun to drink. Traditional boba is made with tea, milk and tapioca pearls.

Unlike the traditional boba tea, fruity boba is made with fruit juice rather than milk. It’s lighter, often more refreshing, and just perfect for a hot summer day. Fruity boba often lacks the tea ingredient and contains juices and fruit powders instead.

Why Green Apple Boba?

Fruity bobas may be underestimated, but they are so much more than some sugary juice will a topping. This recipe will show you just how tasty a simple drink can be and why it’s definitely worth the effort.

This Green apple boba is super easy to make at home and incredibly delicious and refreshing. By using a homemade apple juice, your drink will have plenty of flavour that can’t be achieved with pre-made juices. If you ever made a homemade apple puree at home, you know exactly what we mean. Besides, you will avoid all preservatives and unnecessary ingredients, and you’ll be able to decide just how sweet you want it to be.

Ingredients for making Green Apple Boba

Green apples: This recipe is best with Granny Smith green apples with natural sourness, crispiness and light sweetness. Other types of green apples may be too tart (cooking apples) or too sweet (golden delicious).

Popping boba: Popping pearls are a great topping for juicy boba tea. They are not chewy like regular boba pearls, and a burst of juicy lychee flavour will add another flavour note to your apple boba tea. You can get Lychee popping pearls on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

Sweetener: To keep the taste as fruity as possible, choose neutral, white granulated sugar. If you want a calorie-free option, Erythritol is a suitable substitute. Alternatively, stevia will work well too, but it will add additional flavour note.

Lemon juice: While this ingredient may look optional, it’s actually quite important. A few teaspoons of a freshly squeezed out lemon juice will intensify the sourness and keep apples green. This means you’ll end up with a beautiful bright yellow-green rather than a dark yellow drink.

Steps for making Green Apple Boba

Make an apple juice: To make an apple juice, you’ll need 150 grams of apples. This will equal 1-2 apples, depending on the size. Wash and peel them and chop into small chunks. Squeeze lemon juice over apple chunks. Simmer it on low heat only, as the juice will otherwise evaporate more quickly.

Assemble the drink: After making the green apple juice, the only thing you’ll need to do it to assemble the drink. Make sure to use lots of ice if your apple juice is still hot.

Additional step – add green tea

If you need a caffeine boost, add some green tea to your boba. Steep one teaspoon of green tea leaves in 100 ml of water for 3 minutes at 85 degrees Celsius. Stronger Gunpowder tea or lighter Mao Feng tea will both work well.  

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Green Apple Boba Recipe

Refreshing and Fruity Boba Tea

Course Drinks

Keyword Apple tea, Boba Tea, Caffeine free, Popping Boba

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• saucepan
• Cheesecloth
• Serving glass

Ingredients

• 150 grams of Granny Smith green apple washed, peeled and chopped
• 300 ml of water ends up with 200 of apple juice
• 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar

Instructions

• Wash, peel and chop apples. Sprinkle them with lemon juice immediately.
• Simmer them in a small saucepan together with 300 ml of water for 20-30 minutes.
• Let it cool slightly to prevent burning yourself and strain using a cheesecloth. Cheesecloth is a better option than a kitchen strainer because you’ll be able to squeeze out as much juice as possible. You will end up with about 200 ml of apple juice. Add a sweetener into hot/warm tea so it dissolves easily.
• Fill a larger 300 ml glass with ice.
• Add apple juice. If you prefer extra sour flavour, you may add more lemon juice.
• Top up with lychee popping pearls.

The post Green Apple Boba Recipe – Fruity & Refreshing appeared first on All That Tea.