What is Boba Tea? (Bubble tea)

Boba, also known as bubble tea, pearl milk tea, or pearl tea, is a globally famous beverage originating from Taiwanese cuisine. A popular Asian drink, bubble tea has gained popularity, especially on social media platforms like Instagram.

This sweet and refreshing drink is typically made using black tea, milk, and tapioca pearls. There are various flavors and tea options available to create different variations of this beverage. It can be served cold or hot.

Bubble tea, also known as boba tea, is particularly popular as a cold beverage. It can be prepared in its simple form, with milk, or with fruit flavors.

What is bubble tea made of?

Black and green tea serve as the foundation for the trendy beverage. Some bubble tea shops offer this drink with milk, yogurt, fruit juice, cocoa, or coffee. Preparing the tea with ready-made powder that quickly dissolves in water or milk makes it easier and more diverse. From banana to hazelnut and vanilla flavors, customers can customize their preferred combinations.

It’s sweetened with honey or syrup, which adds color to the tea. Bubble tea shops serve this beverage with plenty of ice, almost like a cocktail. The distinctive touch comes from the colorful and chewy tapioca pearls in the tea.

This flavor, also known as pearl tea or bubble tea, has gained significant attention in the United States and Europe.

What is bubble tea?

Bubble tea is a beverage that emerged in South Asia in the 1980s and has become very popular in recent years. This drink is made with tea, milk, and tapioca balls (boba). Tapioca is a soft, chewy starch similar to starchy gum Arabic. It is also known as milk tea, pearl tea, tapioca tea, or boba tea.

It’s a Taiwanese tea-based drink that can be prepared in its simple form, with milk, or with fresh fruit flavors. It can be consumed hot or cold.

Like any beverage, you can customize the sweetness of bubble tea to your liking. I personally enjoy tea and coffee without sugar, and for hot chocolate, I use minimal sugar. Even though one is hot and the other is cold, bubble tea falls into the category of hot chocolate for me. In other words, it’s a beverage that you don’t consume every day but only occasionally for enjoyment. That’s why I prepare bubble tea with less sugar. In my opinion, 2 tablespoons of sugar for 6 servings is ideal. However, if you prefer, you can make it without sugar or with more sugar. You can achieve this by adjusting the sugar content in the syrup or using sweetened tea.

Is bubble tea healthy?

Bubble tea, at its core, is made from black tea, milk, and tapioca balls. The calorie content may increase depending on the amount of fruit pieces, different syrups, or added sugar for sweetness. This can potentially contribute to weight gain.

The bubbles in bubble tea, like exploding bubbles in your mouth, are the tapioca balls. If you don’t like them, you can use chia seeds instead.

Although chia seeds may not have the exact same taste, you can prepare a healthier recipe using chia tea and matcha.

In summary, bubble tea can be a healthy choice due to its high calcium and gluten-free tapioca content. However, depending on the amount of added sugar to the beverage, it may be more harmful than beneficial. Additionally, caution should be exercised when consuming tapioca pearls, as they can be a choking hazard.

Which types of tea are used to make bubble tea?

Classic bubble tea is made with black tea, milk, and tapioca pearls. Since you typically dilute the tea with milk when preparing bubble tea, it’s best to use stronger teas.

Types of tea for making bubble tea:

1. Black tea: Earl Grey is a preferred black tea choice.
2. Green tea: After black tea, green tea is the most popular choice. Green tea with jasmine is especially favored.
3. Chai tea (Indian tea): It’s a blend of black tea with spices like cinnamon and ginger.
4. Oolong tea: Combines the flavors of black and green tea, providing a very compatible taste with milk.
5. White tea: Rarely used in Western countries.

What type of milk is used in making bubble tea?

When making bubble tea with tapioca pearls, milk is used to give a creamier and richer flavor to the tea.

You can make this delicious recipe with any type of milk you prefer, according to your taste. You can use whole milk, semi-skimmed milk, or lactose-free milk. If you want a dairy-free option, you can also use nut milks like soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or cashew milk.

Is bubble tea gluten-free?

Bubble tea is gluten-free. The ingredients commonly used, like tapioca pearls or jelly, are plant-based and gluten-free. If you are a vegan, you can also opt for using plant-based milk.

How to use tea for making bubble tea?

Usually, tea is brewed in tea bags, but when you want to enjoy freshly brewed tea, there’s no need for the hassle of tea bags. For a standard drink, you can brew the tea, strain it, and use it without opening it and cooling it. I usually brew it a day in advance, strain it, and refrigerate it. This way, it’s ready to use and cold like ice.

The texture of bubble tea pearls is like soaked jelly. The sugar content is significant but does not crystallize. Milk tea is best with less sugar.

How long can you store bubble tea?

The best way to consume this tea is during the day. The tea itself doesn’t spoil, but the bubbles inside it become old and firm. It’s susceptible to exposure. You can store plain tea in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Tapioca pearls should be consumed 3 to 6 hours after cooking.

What’s the difference between bubble tea and boba?

You may have heard the terms “bubble tea” and “boba” separately and wondered what the difference is. Unless the pearls are counted, they are the same beverage. They are added to teas made from the same mixtures. The difference lies in the bubbles made with agar agar. When the bubbles made with agar agar enter the mouth, you can pop them with your tongue, and when they burst, the scent you prepared with them spreads in the mouth. Boba tea and the balls in boba tea are firmer. They don’t explode in the mouth. They are chewy.

How to serve bubble tea?

This beverage is typically served in plastic cups in many places. However, in some places, you may come across glass cups. When you want to prepare and serve this drink at home, you can use glass cups as well.

Another element that makes this type of tea diverse is fruits and syrups. Tea is served with various fruits and syrups. So, you can find various types of bubble tea from strawberry to taro bubble tea.

In conclusion, bubble tea or boba is the latest trendy beverage that has taken the world by storm. Everyone loves these drinks. Although there are many cafes that make these beverages, if you don’t know how to make them at home, we’ve told you. Here are three different recipes for bubble tea and how to make boba tea.