Bubble Tea Drink (Boba Milk Tea)
User Reviews
5
Bubble Tea Drink (Boba Milk Tea)
Description
This Bubble Tea recipe offers both hot and cold brewing methods to prepare a concentrated black tea base rich in tannins and flavor. Hot brewing involves boiling water and steeping tea leaves or bags for 10 to 15 minutes, producing a strong infusion that is cooled before serving. Cold brewing uses room temperature water over several hours for a different flavor profile. The tea strength is key, as it balances the sweetness and dairy elements later added.
Cooked boba pearls are prepared by boiling until tender, then combined with a brown sugar syrup that provides sweetness and a glossy coating. Mixing the chilled tea with milk and ice (optional) creates the signature creamy, refreshing milk tea that contrasts with the chewy texture of the boba pearls, enhancing the overall drinking experience.
Preparing the tea base ahead and cooling it in the fridge or freezer helps develop the ideal serving temperature and clarity. Taste testing the brewed tea is essential to ensure it is strong enough, as weaker brews will produce a duller milk tea. Rapid cooling techniques can be used but may dilute the tea flavor with extra ice.
Adjust the tea quality and steeping time as needed, since the strength relies heavily on the type of tea used. Homemade boba pearls can substitute store-bought ones for freshness and texture preference.
Ingredients
Hot brewed tea
- 720 mL water 3 cups
- 24 g black tea 5 tbsp large loose tea (Or 12 tea bags)
Cold brewed tea
- 720 mL water 3 cups, at room temperature (preferably filtered)
- 36 g black tea 7 tbsp large loose tea (Or 18 tea bags)
Boba pearls
- 1 cup easy cook boba pearls Or 1 ¼ cups for generous servings (You can also make homemade boba pearls if you like)
Sugar syrup
- 150 g brown sugar ¾ cup (Or white sugar)
- 60 mL water ¼ cup
To serve
- 960 mL milk 4 cups (Or plant based milk, whole
- ice Optional (as needed)
Instructions
Hot brewed tea
- Place the water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil with the lid on. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat, or lower to a simmer.
- Add the tea leaves (or tea bags). Let the tea steep in the hot water for about 10 - 15 minutes. OR let the tea gently simmer (with the lid on) for 10 - 15 minutes. Stir the tea leaves to ensure that the tea absorbs the water to properly infuse. (See notes)
- Strain the tea leaves. Gently apply a little pressure to remove some of the liquid in the tea leaves, but don't squeeze too much. You should have about 2 - 2¼ cups of strongly brewed tea. Please taste the tea at this stage as it should taste very strong, with extremely strong tannin flavor.
- Place the tea in the fridge to cool down. It will get cloudy as it cools down because of the high tannins in the strong tea.
Cold brew tea
- Place the tea leaves in a French press.
- Pour the room temperature water into the French press and stir the leaves to make sure they are saturated with water.
- Press the French press plunger until the tea leaves are just below the surface of the water, so that they remain submerged in the water.
- Let the tea leaves steep for 12 hours at room temperature. Strain the tea leaves, and place the tea in the fridge to cool down.
Boba pearls
- If you’re using homemade boba pearls, follow my recipe on how to make boba pearls to cook them.
- If you’re using quick cook boba pearls, follow the directions on the package to cook the boba pearls.
- When the boba pearls have been cooked, remove the pearls from the water and place them in a bowl with some of the cooking water (to prevent the boba pearls from sticking together).
Sugar syrup
- Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and stir to combine. Heat over medium heat while stirring to melt all of the sugar.
- Let the syrup come to a boil. Cook for a further 2 - 3 minutes, until the syrup has thickened up slightly.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the boba pearls from the cooking water, and add the warm boba pearls into the sugar syrup and stir to ensure the pearls are not sticking together. Simmer for a further 1 - 2 minutes IF NEEDED to get a syrup-like consistency.
- Use the pearls while they are slightly warm.
To serve
- In a glass (11 - 12 oz), place ¼ cup of tapioca pearls, along with some of the sugar syrup.
- Pour about ½ cup of brewed tea per drink. The tea should be chilled or at least at room temperature (if you’re adding ice).
- Add ice, and then add 1 cup of milk per drink. Stir to combine. Taste and add more sugar syrup if you'd like the drink sweeter.
Notes
- The strength of the tea base depends on the quality and type of tea used; adjust steeping time to achieve a strong, tannin-rich flavor.
- If the tea is not strong after prolonged steeping, consider switching to a different tea variety.
- When using hot brewed tea, quick cooling in an ice bath or freezer can help serve the drink sooner, but using more ice will dilute the tea flavor.
- Shaking the tea with ice in a cocktail shaker quickly cools the tea but also dilutes the flavor depending on ice amount.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Drinks
Amount Per Serving
Calories 314 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1drink | |
| Calories | 314kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 54g | 18% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.3g | 2% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 30mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 111mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 407mg | 9% |
| Sugar | 36g | 72% |
| Vitamin A | 401IU | 8% |
| Calcium | 331mg | 33% |
| Iron | 0.2mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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