Description
This recipe uses Thai tea powder, making it easy to get the right balance of flavors. However, if you happen to have all of the spices on hand, you can make a truly unique tea.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 tbsp Thai tea mix
- 1 black tea bag (or 1 tsp of black tea leaves)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca pearls
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the Thai tea mix and brown sugar. Add the black tea and remove the pan from the heat.
- Allow the tea to steep for at least 10 minutes; Thai tea is traditionally more potent than other tea drinks. Once steeped, pour the tea through a strainer to remove the tea mix. Set the brewed tea aside to cool.
- Cook the tapioca pearls according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cool water to bring the pearls to just above room temperature.
- Combine the evaporated milk and the sweetened condensed milk in a separate bowl and set aside. If using different dairy, see the recipe notes below on how to prepare the milk.
- Spoon the cooked tapioca pearls into the bottom of a large glass. Pour the cooled tea over the top and add a large handful of ice. Top with the mixed milk. Stir and serve.
Notes
As with all boba tea recipes, there are endless sweetener, milk, and tea swaps. Here are a few variations and suggestions for this recipe:
- The addition of black tea makes this Thai boba even stronger. It is entirely optional but does enhance the flavor quite a bit.
- Instead of evaporated and sweetened condensed milk, you can use the milk of your choice and additional sweetener. Try full-fat coconut milk for a creamy, rich taste. Add 1-2 extra tablespoons of brown sugar or maple syrup for sweetness.
- Since the tea needs to steep for at least 10 minutes, you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. Prepare the rest of the ingredients right before serving.
- Instead of a Thai tea mix, you can steep plain black tea with spices like star anise, vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom to create Thai boba tea.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes