Dessert Recipes

Black Sugar Bubble Tea

May 19, 2022

Yield
Makes 3
Prep Time
55mins
Cook Time
90mins
Difficulty Level
2 / 5

Bring your appreciation for bubble tea to a whole new level by creating your own in the comfort of your home. This fool-proof recipe can be easily pulled off (even for novice cooks), and guarantee a great sense of satisfaction once you’re slurping up your homemade beverage.

Ingredients

TAPIOCA STARCH PEARLS

BLACK SUGAR SYRUP

BUBBLE MILK TEA

Steps

TAPIOCA STARCH PEARLS

01.

In a saucepan, pour in 180 ml water and add the black sugar. Turn on the heat and over medium-low heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir well.

02.

In a mixing bowl, place 150 g of starch. In another bowl, place 105 g of starch and set aside.

03.

Pour two-thirds of the boiling-hot black sugar mixture into the mixing bowl.

04.

Use a wooden rolling stick to stir the mixture gently in a clockwise direction for 10 secs and add the remaining black sugar mixture. Continue stirring as the starch and hot sugar mixture turns into a paste.

05.

Add 15 g of starch from the other bowl and continue stirring for another 15 secs. Add another 15 g of starch and continue stirring. Continue to stir and gradually add the remaining bowl of starch over 1 min.

06.

Put on gloves and knead the dough inside the mixing bowl. Do this for about 1 min until the dough is soft and elastic.

07.

Transfer the dough onto a clean flat surface and continue kneading it. Dust the work surface with about 1 tbsp of flour (10 g) to prevent the dough from sticking. Knead it for about 5 mins.

08.

You should get 420 g of dough. Divide the dough into four portions of 105 g each. Cover three portions with clingwrap and set aside.

09.

Take 100 g of the dough and roll it out into a thin log of 1 cm thickness.

10.

Divide this and cut into small pieces of 1 cm thickness. Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

11.

Place 30 g of tapioca starch in a deep dish. Place the little dough balls into the dish and coat them in the starch.

12.

Transfer the starch-coated balls into a sieve and sieve out the excess starch. Set aside.

13.

Use 66 g of pearls per serving. Store remaining raw tapioca pearls in a freezer-friendly resealable bag or container. You can keep them frozen for up to a month.

14.

To cook 200 g of pearls, bring 2.2 litres of water to a boil over high heat.

15.

Add the pandan leaves.

16.

Add the tapioca pearls. Once the pearls float to the surface, cover and cook for 15 mins. Stir occasionally to prevent the pearls from sticking together.

17.

Turn off the heat and allow the pearls to continue cooking in residual heat for 10 mins.

18.

Bring the cooking liquid to a boil again.

19.

Prepare a bowl of iced water.

20.

Use a slotted spoon or slotted ladle to transfer the cooked pearls into the bowl of iced water. Soak for 5 mins. Drain off excess iced water and set aside the pearls in a bowl.

BLACK SUGAR SYRUP

01.

In a saucepan or pot, add the water and black sugar.

02.

Bring to a boil over medium-low heat and simmer for 5 mins.

03.

Pour 160 ml of the mixture into the bowl of pearls and mix well. Set aside.

04.

Reserve the remaining sugar syrup for drizzling down the inside of your glass. Should the sugar syrup harden, use low heat to warm up the mixture. Stir in a little water if the syrup turns too thick.

BUBBLE MILK TEA

01.

Bring the water to a gentle boil and add the tea bags. Turn off the heat and let the tea bags steep for three minutes.

02.

For each glass, take 1 tbsp of black sugar syrup and drizzle it down the insides of the glass.

03.

Spoon 66 g of the syrup-soaked tapioca pearls into each glass. Add 75 ml of tea into each glass. Add 150 ml of milk into each glass. Add the ice cubes.

04.

You can top each glass with a sprinkling of black sugar or with any remaining black sugar syrup. Serve immediately.

Text: 8

Photo: Hedy Khoo