Tea Station- tapioca milk tea?

Question

i love going to Tea Station but it can be quite expensive. i usually get the tapioca milk tea. it's a simple drink and i know it consists of black tea, simple syrup, and some kind of cream/ half & half...but i can't seem to make it taste the same when i make it myself. i don't know if i have the right ratio. does anybody know?

Answer 1

I have to disagree with the other person. Bubble tea, also known as sago or tapioca milk tea, is NOT made from black tea. True bubble tea is made from milk tea, and is given a flavour. Original bubble tea is made from milk tea, which uses red tea leaves and milk.

Milk tea and bubble tea has been around for ages... I guess the US is just catching onto it now according to the other person. :) It's originally from Taiwan and can be found where there are lots of Chinese people. ;-)

Answer 2

Ingredients

6 cups cold water

1 cup tapioca pearls

1/2 cup Sugar Syrup

Preparation

Boil water in medium saucepan. Add the tapioca; return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and boil gently 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Let tapioca sit 25 minutes in water, covered. Drain and rinse in a colander under cool running water. Pour Sugar Syrup over tapioca; use within 4 to 5 hours.

Variation for make-ahead tapioca:

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add tapioca; return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let sit 15 minutes, covered. Drain and rinse in a colander beneath cool running water. Add Sugar Syrup; place in sealed container. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For tea, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil (use a 4-to-1 ratio of water to tapioca), and add tapioca (1/4 cup per serving). Boil 1 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Rinse and cover with Sugar Syrup to taste. Add tea mixture of choice (see our recipe for Bubble Milk Tea at right).

Note: Precooked tapioca should be used within 3 days, or it will get mushy.

Yield

Makes about 2 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup)

Bubble tea or boba tea as it is also known has become a new craze in Southern California. There are at least 9 tea shops within 1 mile of where I work that now offer this product.

A combination of strong black tea, milk, sugar syrup and black tapioca pearls (about 3/8" in diameter)shaken with ice and served over the tapioca actually is a very tasty drink. I have been unsuccessful in finding smaller quantities of the tapioca that I cook at home to make this tea.

Have you tried this "new" drink craze. I look forward to hearing from other drinkers of this refreshing drink