Welcome and welcome to Paulina Kitchen! On this occasion we are going to tell you everything about bubble tea , a drink that is taking the nets ... surely many of you saw photos of someone drinking a drink with black balls in a giant glass. Well, we're going to talk about.
Bubble Tea is increasingly expanding . But where does this drink come from and how is it done at home?
Here we tell you everything they need to know about tea with balls , and if they never tried it, prepare because after reading how easy it is, they will want to make the bubble tea recipe that obviously find at the end of this post.
Content table
About bubble tea
The Bubble Tea , also known as bubble tea , is a combination between tea and a dessert. It is a drink that can be hot or cold tea , with milk or without milk, but that always carries a special touch: tapioca pearls that give it that unmistakable texture.
Bubble tea is not just a drink, it is a complete sensory experience. Imagine the tea sweetness, the creaminess of milk (if you choose it), the touch of sugar and, best of all, those tapioca balls that provide an elastic and fun texture .
Bubble tea became popular in recent years, and in Argentina we can already find it in several specialized coffee shops and premises . But best of all, it can be done at home with simple ingredients and a pair of key tricks to achieve that perfect texture in Tapioca pearls.
History and origin of tea with bubbles
Like many good things, bubble tea was born in Taiwan in the 1980s. It is said that a teteria owner had the brilliant idea of adding uphow pearls to a glass of tea with milk and beat it vigorously, creating the first version of the Bubble Tea .
Since then, tapioca tea has expanded all over the world and has evolved in thousands of versions: with different types of tea , fruit flavors, aggregates such as gelatins or chia seeds, and even vegan versions without milk .
Bubble Tea fashion in Argentina
In Argentina, bubble tea became an irresistible fashion for several reasons. First, because the Bubble TEA arrived with its vibrant colors, its big glass and its giant sorbet, and of course, it became a magnet for fans of sweet and “photogenic” drinks.
The Boba Tea is almost a and art for Instagram .
Another key point is the Asian community in the country. Taiwanese and China immigration has brought a great gastronomic offer (we love!), With food, supermarkets and, of course, places specialized in this tea with balls .
If we add to that the fanaticism for anime, K-Pop and Asian culture in general, it is not uncommon for bubble tea to have conquered so many palates.
But ... what are the black balls of bubble tea?
The pearls of Tapioca of the Bubble Tea are balls made from cassava starch , a tropical root widely used in Asian and Latin American cuisine. They are responsible for the particular texture of bubble tea , since they have a gumous and elastic consistency , almost like a kind of soft candy.
When they are raw, they are hard and white, but when boiling in hot water they become translucent and acquire their characteristic black color when they are sweetened with mascabo sugar or brown sugar syrup. There are also other versions of Tapioca pearls but, the most traditional for bubble tea, they are black.
The most important thing with these balls is to cook them in boiling water until they float, so that they are not too hard or too soft, and keep them in syrup or in a little of the same cooking water. In this way they retain the ideal texture, until they are used in bubble tea.
6 characteristics of tea with bubbles that make it unique
- Tapioca pearls: they are bubble tea stars. Its gumous and elastic texture give it an unparalleled sensation.
- Versatility: It can be done with black, green, oolong and even with fruit infusions.
- OPTION OR WITHOUT MILK OPTIONS: Bubble tea can be creamy as a liquefied or refreshing like a ice tea.
- Adjustable sweetness: You can add more or less sugar to the Bubble Tea, according to personal taste.
- Toppings: in addition to tapioca pearls, bubble tea can be added gelatins, fruits, seeds and even ice cream .
- Instagrameable aesthetics: It cannot be denied that Boba Tea is one of the most photogenic drinks in the world .
8 tips for perfect bubble tea
- Choose the best tea: use strong tea so that you do not lose flavor with ice and milk. Ideally, use strong black tea , such as Assam or Ceylán. But for something softer, jasmine green tea is also an excellent option.
- Do not leave the pearls of tapioca without liquid : prepare them just before helping to harden.
- Use natural syrups: instead of refined sugar for a more intense flavor. Mascabo sugar is also ideal , which brings color to bubble tea.
- Experiment with vegetable milks: almond or coconut milk gives a spectacular flavor to bubble tea.
- Serve as it has to be: the Bubble Tea is served in a large glass with an extra width sorbet so that the tapioca pearls can rise. But a spoon can also be used if there is no sorbet of those characteristics.
- Hot or cold: it can use both forms, but the icy version of bubble tea is the favorite of many.
- Beat well: to make foam at the top.
- Take with large sips: to enjoy bubble tea tapioca pearls , without choking!
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Bubble tea recipe
Yield: 2 portions
Preparation time: 45-50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup of tapioca pearls
- 4 cups of water to boil the pearls
- 2 tbsp. of sugar (if it is better mascabo)
- 1 cup of strong black tea (or green)
- 1/2 cup of milk (whole or vegetable milk)
- Ice to taste
How to make bubble tea step by step
- Place the pearls in a median pot with 4 cups of fresh water over medium-high heat.
- Once it boils down the heat and let the tapioca pearls cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and let stand about 10-15 minutes in the covered pot.
- Rinse the pearls with cold water and leave them in a mixture of water with sugar resting in the refrigerator.
- Meanwhile prepare a well loaded black tea and let it cool.
- In a large glass, place pearls, ice, milk and tea.
- Stir well, place the sorbet (or a spoon) and enjoy bubble tea.
