So a few months ago I was introduced to bubble tea!
I had often walked past the Easy Way Tea store at my local shopping mall, but had never ben daring enough to try one of the many varieties of coloured drinks all with what looked like black marbles at the bottom (which were actually what are called boba) or chopped up coloured pieces of fruit floating around in the cup (coloured jelly)!
Well confession, once I was introduced. I haven't quiet been able to stop drinking them! Heading up to my local mall at least once a week to score one of the delicious concoctions, as if it was my drug of choice to blissfully get my taste buds through the 2013 summer, plus being icy cold doesn't hurt!
But like everything that tastes amazing, I was positive it must be bad for me! Full of fat, sugar, carbs and all those things I try to limit in my diet! A quick google search and I found, I was right! But from what I read it seemed like there was only certain ingredients that were high in sugar, and in my mind, I was quickly substituting healthier alternatives, so that I wouldn't necessarily have to give up one of my now favourite things in life.
Such is life...I'm a happy girl!
Let me explain a little bit more about what makes bubble tea so unique and amazing.
You can find boba (pearls) at almost any Asian grocery store or online. These marble-sized spheres are made from tapioca, just like the smaller pearls we use for tapioca pudding. They come in a range of colors, but all boba have a fairly neutral flavor. Once cooked, it's best to mix them with some sugar syrup or honey, this gives them some sweetness and also helps preserve any pearls you're not using right away.
Boba are at their very chewiest best if used within a few hours of cooking. However, the longer cooking method I outline below helps the boba stay soft and moist for several days if kept refrigerated in simple sugar syrup. They will gradually start to harden and become crunchy in the middles. For a quick-fix bubble tea when you know you'll eat them right away, just boil the boba until they are soft, 5 to 10 minutes.
The sweet and creamy bubble teas you buy in the stores are usually flavored with special powders and sweetened condensed milk. You can buy these powders online along with the boba themselves, but I think that boba made with regular tea and other more natural sweeteners are just as good. You only need to make one cup of strong tea, any tea of your choosing, and mix it with regular milk, almond milk, low fat condensed milk, or fruit juice. A little honey leftover from soaking the boba helps sweeten things up.
COOKING THE BOBA/TAPIOCA/PEARLS
What You Need:
1/4 cup dried boba tapioca pearls per serving
2 cups of water for every 1/4 cup serving of boba tapioca pearls
1 tablespoon honey per serving
What To Do:
To cook the tapioca, follow the directions on the package. Different brands of tapioca pearls cook at different rates and require varied amounts of water. Mine were a 5 minute variety (although I let them cook for 10 minutes), but if yours take longer to cook, it would be a good idea to cook more than a one serving if you'd like more bubble tea later in the week.
Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the boba and stir gently until they begin floating to the top of the water.
Turn the heat to medium and cook the boba for 5-10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, cover, and let the pearls sit for another 5-10 minutes.
When cooked, drain the pearls and rinse with lukewarm water to remove the starch. In a small bowl, coat the tapioca pearls with the honey. The tapioca pearls can be refrigerated for up to 3 or 4 days, but are best if used immediately.
BASIC MILK BUBBLE TEA
What You Need:
1/4 cup pre cooked boba tapioca pearls per serving
1-2 tea bags per serving, any kind (I used black tea)
1 cup water per serving
1 cup milk, almond milk, rice milk, or low fat condensed milk
Honey to sweeten (optional)
Fruit juice, blended fruit, nectar (optional)
What To Do:
Prepare the boba as per the previous recipe or instructions on the packet.
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea bag. Use one tea bag for regular-strength bubble tea or two for a stronger tea flavor. Remove the tea bag after 15 minutes and chill the tea. The preparation of the tea can be done either while the boba are cooking or ahead of time. Allow enough time for the tea to cool completely before making the bubble tea.
Pour the prepared tea into a mason jar (or cocktail shaker) and add the boba. Add milk for a creamy bubble tea, juice for a fruity tea (or both), or leave plain and add a little extra water. Sweeten to taste with honey . Shake to combine.
Then serve in the mason jar or a tall glass.
Additional Notes:
-Very Chilled Bubble Tea: For an extra-chilly bubble tea, combine all the tea, milk, and/or juice, and boba in a mason jar or cocktail shaker. Add a few ice cubes and shake for 20 seconds. Pour into a tall glass or leave in the mason jar..
-Saving Leftover Boba and Making Boba for Later: Boba are best if used within a few hours of cooking, but will keep refrigerated with sugar syrup or honey for several days. The boba will gradually harden and become crunchy as they sit.
-You can cook the boba in a rice cooker! 2 x water to 1x pearls, and they will get gooey and wonderful. Store at room temp.
Now here's where I start experimenting...
WATERMELON MILK TEA
What You Need:
1/4 cup pre cooked boba tapioca pearls per serving
1-2 tea bags per serving, any kind (I used black tea)
3/4 cup hot water per serving
1 1/2 cups of watermelon slices per serving
2 tablespoons honey per serving
1/4 cup cold water per serving
1 cup milk, almond milk, rice milk, or low fat condensed milk
Extra honey to sweeten (optional)
What To Do:
Prepare the boba as per the previous recipe or instructions on the packet.
Bring the 3/4 cup of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea bag. Use one tea bag for regular-strength bubble tea or two for a stronger tea flavor. Remove the tea bag after 15 minutes and chill the tea. The preparation of the tea can be done either while the boba are cooking or ahead of time. Allow enough time for the tea to cool completely before making the bubble tea.
Steep the tea leaves in hot water and set aside to brew for 10-15 minutes
Combine the watermelon, cold water and honey and blitz/blend until smooth. Strain the juice and set aside.
Pour the prepared tea into a mason jar (or cocktail shaker) and add the boba. Add the watermelon juice and the milk. Sweeten to taste with honey . Shake to combine.
Then serve in the mason jar or a tall glass.
COCONUT MILK BUBBLE TEA
What You Need:
1/4 cup pre cooked boba tapioca pearls per serving
1-2 tea bags per serving, any kind (I used black tea)
1 cup water per serving
1 cup low fat organic coconut milk
Extra honey to sweeten (optional)
What To Do:
Prepare the boba as per the previous recipe or instructions on the packet.
Bring the 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea bag. Use one tea bag for regular-strength bubble tea or two for a stronger tea flavor. Remove the tea bag after 15 minutes and chill the tea. The preparation of the tea can be done either while the boba are cooking or ahead of time. Allow enough time for the tea to cool completely before making the bubble tea.
Steep the tea leaves in hot water and set aside to brew for 10-15 minutes
Pour the prepared tea into a mason jar (or cocktail shaker) and add the boba. Add the coconut milk. Sweeten to taste with honey . Shake to combine.
Then serve in the mason jar or a tall glass.
KIWI FRUIT BUBBLE TEA
What You Need:
1/4 cup pre cooked boba tapioca pearls per serving
1-2 tea bags per serving, any kind (I used black tea)
1 cup water per serving
1 cup ice cubes
3 green kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
1 cup milk, almond milk, rice milk, or low fat condensed milk
Extra honey to sweeten (optional)
What To Do:
Prepare the boba as per the previous recipe or instructions on the packet.
Bring the 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea bag. Use one tea bag for regular-strength bubble tea or two for a stronger tea flavor. Remove the tea bag after 15 minutes and chill the tea. The preparation of the tea can be done either while the boba are cooking or ahead of time. Allow enough time for the tea to cool completely before making the bubble tea.
Steep the tea leaves in hot water and set aside to brew for 10-15 minutes
Combine ice, milk into blender; pulse until smooth. Add kiwifruit; pulse until just blended, do not crush kiwifruit seeds.
Pour the prepared tea into a mason jar (or cocktail shaker) and add the boba. Add the kiwifruit mixture. Sweeten to taste with honey . Shake to combine.
Then serve in the mason jar or a tall glass.
My favourite Easy Way Bubble Tea is a Taro Milk Tea with Pearls and Extra Ice! I haven't quiet reached the stages of experimenting to try and make a healthier version of my fav, but these other recipe varieties listed above are equally as delicious and are great substitutes for the mean time.
Lastly, don’t forget to sip slowly through the big straws!
