How To Make Bubble Tea
All Original Recipes by Lorraine Elliott
Classic Milk Tea
Makes 2 x 450ml glasses of bubble tea
- 4 black tea teabags
- 2 cups boiling water
- 4 tablespoons of caster superfine sugar (or to taste) or simple syrup
- 2/3 cup/100g/3.5ozs instant tapioca pearls
- 2 cups cold, fresh milk
Step 1 - Steep the teabags in the boiling water and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Allow to cool.
Step 2 - Place the pearls in a large jug and pour 2 cups of boiling water over and cover for 2 minutes stirring it once or twice to make sure that the pearls don't stick together. Strain.
Step 3 - Divide the tea and pearls among the two glasses and top with milk.
Strawberry Frappe Cheese Tea
Makes 2x450ml/15oz glasses of bubble tea
- 2 cups strong black tea, cooled
- 2-4 tablespoons sugar syrup or to taste
- 250g/8ozs. frozen strawberries
Cheese foam
- 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs cream
- 2 teaspoons caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 30g/1ozs./1/8 cup cream cheese, room temperature
- Pinch salt
Step 1 - Whip the cream and sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla, cream cheese and salt and whip until fluffy. Store in the fridge-this cheese foam lasts 2-3 days.
Step 2 - In a blender place the tea, sugar syrup and frozen strawberries and blend. Divide into 2 glasses. Top with the cheese foam.
Brown Sugar Tiger Bubble Milk Tea
Makes 2x450ml/15oz. glasses of bubble tea
- 210g/7.4ozs. brown sugar
- 180g/6ozs. water
- 2/3 cup/100g/3.5ozs instant tapioca pearls
- 3.5 cups cold, fresh milk
Step 1 - Place the brown sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil for 5-6 minutes making sure the sugar has dissolved and that it has become syrupy in texture.
Step 2 - While the brown sugar syrup is boiling, place the tapioca pearls in a large jug and pour 2 cups of boiling water over and cover for 2 minutes stirring it once or twice to make sure that the pearls don't stick together. Strain.
Step 3 - Add the tapioca pearls to the syrup and boil them for 1 minute. Decant into a small jug and allow to cool for 10 minutes where it will thicken up.
Step 3 - Take 2 glasses and divide the bubbles and syrup among the glasses (you don't have to use all the syrup if you don't want it to be too sweet but the best tiger effect is when you use a lot). Tip the glass so that the glass has the sugar coating the inside of the glass. This is on the sweet side so use less if you want it less sweet. Pour milk into the glass. When you add the milk and stir you will get the tiger stripe effect.