Ube milk tea (Ube bubble tea)

Ube base

1. Place all the ingredients (except for the ube extract and evaporated milk) in a saucepan.
2. Cook the mixture while stirring frequently, and bring it to a boil.
3. Continue to stir more frequently while cooking, until the mixture becomes thick. The consistency at this stage should be such that when you stir it with a spatula, it should leave a trail in the mixture. Stir in the ube extract at this point.
4. Add about ½ cup of evaporated milk to get the mixture to a thick but pourable consistency. Add more if needed. Heat through for 1 – 2 minutes.
5. Place the ube base in a jar and store in the fridge for up to 4 – 5 days.

To make ube milk tea

1. First, cook the tapioca pearls according to package instructions. If you'd like to make my homemade boba pearls instead, cook them according to the recipe here on how to make boba pearls.
2. Let the cooked boba pearls soak in warm water (just for a few minutes) until you get the drink ready. Alternatively, mix the drained tapioca pearls with some honey to keep them from sticking to each other.
3. Place the ube base in a blender, along with the ice and milk. Blend until the mixture is smooth and the base has mixed in well.
4. Add honey if you like your drink to be sweeter.
5. Divide the tapioca pearls into two glasses (at least 10 oz capacity).
6. Optional - Create some purple streaks with the ube base along the wall of the glass (see pictures in the post). If the ube base is too thick the following day, take a small portion of it and heat it gently in the microwave to make it more spreadable.
7. Pour the ube milk into the two glasses and serve with boba straws.