Cheese foam stands out among bubble tea enthusiasts, enriching the silky milk tea with a distinct and delicious airiness. Foamy, salty, and slightly tangy, this boba topping can turn your standard bubble tea into a complex and heavenly blend of multi-layered goodness.
This cheese foam recipe is mainly customized to be added to iced bubble tea drinks, but it can also be used to top desserts and other culinary creations. It’s easy to make and guaranteed to keep your taste buds happy. Read the ingredients and instructions for a full guide on how to make it!
Print
Bubble Tea Cheese Foam
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 2 Servings 1x
Description
This cheese tea recipe only teaches you how to make the cheese mousse topping. Luckily, this garnish goes well with many types of tea. Whip up your favorite milk tea, add sweetener and tapioca pearls, and top it off with this delicious garnish.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp cream cheese
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tbsp sugar (white or brown sugar)
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Place the cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until rich and creamy.
- Next, add the whipping cream and milk and beat until frothy.
- Add pinches of sea salt while beating the mixture until you reach your desired level of saltiness.
- Enjoy! Top it on bubble tea, a latte, or any dessert of your choice.
Notes
Instead of cream cheese, you may also use powdered cheese as a substitute.
For a sweeter variation, add more sugar during the mixing process.
For a creamier cheese foam, use heavy cream instead of whipping cream.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
What Does Cheese Foam Taste Like?
Cheese foam closely resembles the taste of cream cheese—velvety, rich, and tangy. However, there are distinct notes of saltiness and sweetness derived from sea salt and sugar, respectively.
Furthermore, adding milk and cream lightens the cheese foam, making it ideal for adding extra fluffiness to your drink. Overall, cheese foam has a delicate, rich quality that’s easy to enjoy and indulgent in taste.
Can You Add Cheese Foam to Any Bubble Tea?
Cheese foam works well with almost any boba milk tea or fruit base, whether green tea, oolong tea, or black tea.
Here are some particularly great pairings:
- Matcha: Matcha’s slightly bitter and astringent notes cut through the rich cheese foam flavor.
- Mango: Mango’s citrusy and fruity taste, paired with the cheese foam, are a match made in heaven.
- Taro: Taro’s nutty, earthy, sweet taste enhances cheese foam’s creamy and rich flavor.
- Cheesecake: Cheesecake’s naturally thick and creamy profile complements the cheese foam’s light and airy texture.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavors. Cheese foam is as versatile as boba tea, so flavor combinations have no limitations.
Does Cheese Foam Have Any Health Benefits?
Cheese foam does not boast many health benefits. Dairy with salt and sugar leaves little to be desired. However, some notable nutritional benefits can be derived from this airy topping.
These include:
- High in vitamin A
- Good source of calcium
- Good source of antioxidants
That said, this topping isn’t meant to be enjoyed independently. It’s high in calories, fat, and sugar, so think twice before adding copious amounts to your bubble tea drinks.
Can Bubble Tea Cheese Foam Be Vegan?
Yes. By substituting all the dairy-based products and sugar, it’s possible to transform cream cheese foam topping into an entirely-vegan one.
- Instead of cream cheese, you can use silken tofu to create vegan cream cheese.
- Use soy milk and coconut oil to make homemade vegan whipped cream. Similarly, you can substitute dairy milk for coconut milk.
- Lastly, sugar (which is manufactured using bone char) can be substituted for vegan-friendly alternatives such as coconut sugar, maple syrup, or beet sugar.
Who Invented Salted Cheese Foam?
Salted cheese foam was first conceived within the confines of Taiwan’s night markets, where boba tea was first popularized.
These vendors used powdered cheese, a sprinkle of salt, and milk to create the first iteration of the topping. This was surprising since many Asian individuals are lactose-intolerant—and cheese foam contained dairy.
However, that didn’t stop vendors from pushing for the popularization of this topping. Through constant refinement and improvement bolstered by global recognition, this topping took on many different varieties and evolved into the succulent topping that is now a staple in boba shops.