What is bubble tea?

Bubble tea is a type of beverage consisting of milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls. Tapioca pearls are made from the starch derived from the cassava plant, so they're all safe for vegans! The mixture of tastes and textures, the rich milk tea and sweet syrup, the soft and chewy tapioca pearls, make for a tasty drink that is amongst many people's favourites.

Currently you can find boba in most big cities and even some small ones, all over the world. A downside however can be the price. In Amsterdam, the Netherlands for example, boba prices range from about 4.50 to 6 euros. If you're a frequent boba drinker, it is totally worth it to learn how to make it yourself. You can experiment with all sorts of flavours that you wouldn't find anywhere else, and it's not anywhere as difficult or expensive as it seems. With this recipe you’ll easily be able to make your own bubble tea at home.

The hype around bubble tea

Bubble tea became popular in Taiwan in the 1980s, and began to spread to other parts of Asia in the 1990s. In the early 2000s, bubble tea shops began to open in North America and Europe, and it have since grown in popularity.

The bubble tea craze began to take off in the early 2010s, and has since grown into a global phenomenon, with bubble tea shops popping up in cities all over the world. The popularity of bubble tea is partly due to its unique texture and taste, as well as the customization options that allow for a wide range of flavor combinations. Additionally, there is a social aspect to the consumption of bubble tea, with friends often gathering to try new flavors and share their experiences, this has also contributed to its rise in popularity.

However, bubble tea has also been criticized for its high sugar content, with some drinks containing as much sugar as a can of soda. Additionally, the use of plastic cups and straws has raised concerns about the environmental impact of the growing bubble tea industry. Some bubble tea shops have begun to use more environmentally-friendly options, such as paper cups and biodegradable straws, in an effort to address these concerns. Despite this, bubble tea's popularity continues to grow, and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

DIY bubble tea in under 10 minutes recipe

materials: pan, strainer, wide straw

Ingredients

Serving size:
DIY bubble tea

Instructions

DIY bubble tea

1

Boil some water in a small pan. Once it is boiling, add your tapioca pearls to the pan and set a timer (or count) for 30 seconds, the pearls should be soft and squishy by then. Use a strainer to remove the tapioca pearls and put them aside. You can use the same pan to make the milk tea for the next step - just make sure there's no water left in it.

2

Put the milk into the pan and heat it up while making sure not to overheat it. Add your tea to the milk then stir to make sure the tea steeps well into the milk. Depending on how strong you want your milk tea to be, leave the tea in for about 2-5 minutes once the milk is hot. Turn off the heat once it's to taste and then use a strainer to take the tea out of the milk.

3

If you want to drink warm boba, you can now mix the ingredients you have prepared. Add your tapioca pearls, as much syrup as you like to a tall cup, and then add in the warm milk tea. You can use a teaspoon to mix everything, or leave it as it is. Traditionally boba is drunk through a wide straw (which you can find in most places if you search for straws with a 8-10mm diameter). You can use either disposable plastic and paper straws, or reusable glass and metal straws. Of course, we advise you to choose an environmentally friendly alternative.

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Tips
  • For a traditional milk tea, we recommend using an Earl Grey, Supreme Ceylon or Brilliant Breakfast. If you have a different preference, go ahead and use any green tea, matcha powder, or cinnamon spice tea, go wild.