Bubble tea can undeniably be crowned the king of drinks in Singapore. Since the start of circuit breaker, there have been countless news articles on bubble tea – whether it’s the long queues formed outside stores, or even the excitement over the development of a new bubble tea product (we’re talking bubble tea ice cream or bubble tea cake), bubble tea has truly won over the hearts of almost everyone.
For all you bubble tea lovers out there, here are 4 popular bubble tea recipes that you can try out at home with your family over the long weekend.
Classic Milk Tea
Originating from Taiwan, this OG bubble tea flavour has always been a crowd favourite and is found in every bubble tea store across the island. The Classic Milk Tea served at stores is usually too sweet, making the homemade option great for Gen Xers who are looking to reduce their sugar intake.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup freshly brewed Jasmine / Black Tea
- 2 tbsp ready made tapioca pearls
- Sugar syrup
- ½ cup whole mIlk
Step 1: Soak the tapioca pearls according to the package instructions. Once fully reconstituted and softened, drain.
Step 2: Let the freshly brewed Jasmine / Black Tea cool in the refrigerator until completely chilled.
Step 3: Scoop 2 tbsp of tapioca pearls and place them at the bottom of the cup. Use a cocktail shaker to shake together the ice, milk, and tea, before pouring the contents into your cup.
Step 4: Finally, pour in the sugar syrup till you’ve reached your desired level of sweetness.
Brown Sugar Pearl Milk
When it comes to bubble tea, the Brown Sugar Pearl Milk is all the rage. Made from purely fresh milk with rich brown sugar boiled to a caramelised finish and no tea, this drink doesn’t contain any caffeine. Brown Sugar Milk Tea has a distinct look, and that comes from the trickling of the caramelized brown sugar around the sides of the cup. The drink contains only 3 ingredients so you can get maximum satisfaction with minimal effort.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp ready made tapioca pearls
- Brown sugar
Step 1: Soak the tapioca pearls according to the package instructions. Once fully reconstituted and softened, drain.
Step 2: Mix 2 tbsp of brown sugar with water and heat to a boil until the mixture forms a thick brown sugar syrup.
Step 3: Combine the sugar syrup and the tapioca pearls and let it sit for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Scoop 2 tbsp of brown sugar tapioca pearls into a tall glass. Tip the glass sideways and swirl the syrup around the insides of the glass to form the iconic “tiger stripes”.
Step 5: Add in ice, pour in cold milk and serve.
Cheese Tea
The Cheese Tea series rose to popularity in Singapore when it was introduced by China’s most popular bubble tea brand HEYTEA喜茶. Since then, many other bubble tea stores have followed suit, adopting cheese foam as a topping in their range of bubble tea drinks. While this recipe requires a little more mixing, the resulting blend of cheese foam and iced fruit tea is undeniably irresistible, especially on a hot sunny day.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of fruit tea of your choice
- 2 tbsp ready made tapioca pearls (optional)
- 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup whipping cream
- A pinch of salt
Step 1: Add cream cheese, condensed milk and whipping cream, mix well until the mixture thickens.
Step 2: Season the mixture with a pinch of salt
Step 3: (Optional) Add 2 tbsp of ready made tapioca pearls into the cup.
Step 4: Fill the cup with ice and the fruit tea of your choice.
Step 5: Top your iced fruit tea off with the freshly mixed cheese topping.
Passionfruit Green Tea with Nata de Coco
A refreshing spin on the original bubble tea we are so familiar with, fruit teas are perfect for sunny Singapore. There are countless varieties and combinations of fruit teas that you can make, depending on what you like. My personal favourite would be the Passionfruit Green Tea, topped with Nata de Coco for that extra texture.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup Green Tea leaves
- 2 whole Passionfruit
- 2 tbsp fresh Nata de Coco
- Sugar syrup
Step 1: Infuse Green tea leaves in boiled water for about 5 minutes. Strain the tea and place into the fridge to cool.
Step 2: Cut the passion fruits into two and separate seeds from pulp with a sieve.
Step 3: Mix the passion fruit pulp with the cooled green tea, add sugar syrup to sweeten and ice cubes to serve cold.
Step 4: Top off your Passionfruit Green Tea drink with Nata de Coco.
Too Cool for the Summer
Homemade bubble tea gives you the flexibility of customising your own drink, whether it’s reducing sugar or adding more chewy pearls. This long weekend, beat the heat and unleash your inner tearista!
