Bubble Tea

Classic Taiwanese Bubble Tea (Boba)

The original milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls, invented in Taiwan in the 1980s. A proper homemade version needs strong brewed black tea, sugar syrup, and freshly cooked pearls.

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Total

35 min

Serves

2 (about 500 ml each)

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •60 g (¼ cup) uncooked tapioca pearls (small black, ~5 mm), must be the raw boba variety, not quick-cook; freeze-dried/quick pearls do not give the right chew
• •1000 ml (4 cups) water, for cooking pearls
• •80 g (⅓ cup) dark brown sugar or muscovado
• •60 ml (¼ cup) water, for the syrup
• •500 ml (2 cups) water
• •10 g (2 tbsp) loose black tea (or 4 tea bags), Taiwanese black tea such as Assam or a red-label black; English Breakfast works but is less traditional
• •120 g (½ cup) granulated sugar (or simple syrup), adjust to taste; classic versions are noticeably sweet
• •120 ml (½ cup) whole milk, fresh milk is the standard Taiwanese preparation; non-dairy milk may be used but is not traditional
• •200 g (about 2 cups) ice cubes

Steps

1. 1 Bring 1000 ml (4 cups) of water to a rolling boil in a wide pot. Once boiling, add the tapioca pearls and stir immediately so they do not stick to the bottom.
2. 2 When the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer the pearls, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes. They are done when there is no more white core visible when you bite one in half; the center should be fully translucent and the texture chewy, not gummy. Turn off the heat, cover, and let them rest for 2 minutes.
3. 3 Drain the pearls in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse briefly under cool water. Transfer them to a small saucepan with the 80 g brown sugar and 60 ml (¼ cup) water.
4. 4 Simmer the pearls in the sugar water for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat until the syrup is thick and glossy and the pearls are coated. Keep warm; tapioca pearls harden as they cool, so use them within 30 minutes of cooking.
5. 5 Meanwhile, make the tea: bring 500 ml (2 cups) of water to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the 10 g loose tea, and steep, covered, for 5 minutes for a strong brew (Taiwanese shops use a concentrated ratio). Strain the tea, stir in the 120 g sugar until dissolved, and chill the tea in the fridge or over an ice bath.
6. 6 To assemble, add 4 to 5 large spoonfuls of the warm brown sugar pearls and their syrup to the bottom of each tall glass.
7. 7 Fill each glass about two-thirds with ice, then pour the chilled sweet tea over the ice, leaving room at the top.
8. 8 Top each glass with 60 ml (¼ cup) of cold whole milk. Stir well with a spoon, then switch to a wide boba straw (about 10 mm diameter) so the pearls can pass through.