Celebrate Early Summer With Bubble Tea at Home
For me, going out for bubble tea is a real summer treat. Not because I don’t want it in the winter, but because I don’t spend as much aimlessly wandering outdoors – a delightful activity that can only be enhanced with a tasty drink in hand. Instead, I just brew my favorite Thai iced tea with tapioca pearls at home. This way I save money and I can change the flavor and sweetness to suit my bubble tea personality. Read on for what I consider to be the best homemade bubble tea ratio so you can experience the taste of summer and winter.
What is bubble tea?
Bubble tea , also called boba tea, is a drink originating from Taiwan that is not only a refreshing drink but also an activity. It usually consists of tea, (optional) milk, sweetener, ice and bubbles, but not soda. The bubbles are interchangeably called boba or tapioca pearls, with the latter being the most descriptive. These are small chickpea-sized balls made from tapioca flour, sugar and water. Boil these little balls and they become chewy, slightly sweet starch balls. You can even make it yourself at home , which will take a little time, but will definitely save you even more money this way.
Soft, chewy pearls are added to a cup, covered with ice and filled with sweet milk tea. When you drink tea through a large straw, you get a few boba with each sip. Drink tea, chew chewing candies and enjoy what is happening around you. Don’t try to talk. You will lose such bubbles.
Ideal Ratio for Bubble Tea
It took me a few tries to find the perfect ratio of bubble tea at home. I kept making him too weak in every way. Too watery, not sweet enough and not enough bean. I finally settled on a ratio that brings me happiness. It’s important to note that the first sip is always intense because I expect it to become weaker over time as the ice melts. This is what happens when I buy it at the store and I love it. The trick is to brew the double-strength tea directly in the milk.
For the best homemade bubble tea, the ratio of sweet tea to bubbles is 2:1. For one serving, I use two-thirds a cup of sweet milk tea and one-third of a cup of raw tapioca pearls.
1. Brew tea
The tea room is a great place for creativity. You can use any tea, with or without milk. However, if you are making tea with milk, I recommend brewing the tea 100% in the milk you use. Don’t cut it with water. Do not use tea that has been previously brewed separately with water. This makes the taste watered down.
I use almond milk, so I pour two-thirds of a cup into a small saucepan and heat until boiling. This is when small bubbles begin to accumulate along the sides of the pan. Alternatively, you can heat the milk in the microwave.
I have found that double strength tea works best for bubble tea. Remove the liquid from the heat and add two bags of your favorite tea or water if you are not using milk to the hot milk. Brew the tea as directed, usually about five minutes. Once the tea has steeped, remove the tea bags and squeeze them between two spoons to release all the concentrated tea from the bags. For Thai milk tea, I use the brand ChaTraMue .
2. Add sweetener
Now I like to add sweetener so it dissolves easily in the warm liquid. You can use white sugar, brown sugar, sugar-free sweetener, honey, or sweetened condensed milk. Alternatively, skip the sweets. It’s up to you and you can always add a little later if needed, but it will require some stirring to dissolve. I added one tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk, but sometimes I add honey. Stir and let the liquid cool to room temperature or refrigerate the next day.
3. Brew bubbles.
About 10 minutes before I want bubble tea, I boil the tapioca pearls. I use this brand of pre-made bubbles because the boba tastes good and the texture doesn’t get too mushy. Whatever brand you use, cook your pearls according to the package directions.
This brand advises to simmer the pearls, covered, for three to five minutes, and then somehow simmer with the heat off for three to five minutes. Since the boil won’t continue if the heat is off, I just turn off the heat and leave them covered on the hot burner for five minutes and that helps. At first the pearl will sink and quickly begin to float, but when it is ready, it will become completely transparent and sink again.
4. Create your own tea
Drain the pearls and cool according to package instructions. Mine were quickly dunked in cold water to cool them down. Pour the dried pearls into a drinking glass. Fill a glass with ice or as much as you like and top the ice with sweet milk tea. If you like a funky ombre effect like I have in the picture, just carefully place a tablespoon of plain milk on top.
Enjoy your tea using a large boba straw, or if you don’t have one, just use a long spoon to scoop some boba from time to time. I encourage you to experiment with other tea flavors; you will be surprised how milk tea tastes. Celestial Seasonings has a great collection of fruity herbal teas that I enjoy if I’m in the mood for something a little brighter with my boba.
The Perfect Thai Bubble Tea Recipe
Ingredients:
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2/3 cup milk
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2 bags of Thai tea
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1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
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1/3 cup dried tapioca pearls, boiled according to package directions
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Ice to fill a glass
1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk until boiling. Add the tea bags and steep according to package directions, about five minutes. Squeeze the tea bags after they have steeped to get all the tea out. Add condensed milk and let the tea cool to room temperature or place it in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Add the cooked tapioca pearls to the glass. Fill a glass with ice and pour the cooled tea into it. Stir and enjoy your bubble tea.