Bubble Tea: Make Your Own at Home, written by Sandra Mahut, features a refreshing collection of 22 drinks and a bonus snack recipe along with vibrant photography. A few flavors include Jasmine Green Tea with Lime, Hot Coconut Latte, Mango and Passionfruit, Strawberry Jelly Iced Tea, and Lemon Jelly. I will also be sharing her recipe for Crème Brûlée Bubble Tea following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Smith Street Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Take care when eating tapioca pearls, especially with young children and those with swallowing difficulties. They are incredibly chewy and can pose a choking risk.
Sandra Mahut
Sandra Mahut is a food writer, photographer, recipe developer, and food stylist. She is the author of several cooking and lifestyle books and currently lives in Paris with her family.
This book was first published in French by Hachette Livre (Marabout) in 2023. It is similar in style to the book, Mochi: Make Your Own at Home.
Bubble Tea
Originally from Taiwan, Bubble Tea (珍珠奶茶) is a refreshing milk tea or fruit drink with tapioca pearls, fruit, or jelly as the base. Bubble Tea: Make Your Own at Home covers a few favorite flavors along with a few notes on ingredients, helpful tools, and fun facts.
The contents page has a visual list of the included bubble tea recipes with page number for easy reference.
The photography is also provided by Sandra with illustrations by Valentine Ferrandi. Every single recipe is paired with a vibrant, full-page photo of the finished drink.
The illustrated tutorial is particularly helpful in demonstrating how to layer the tea. There is even an illustrated guide for adjusting your bubble tea with more or less sweetness or a more stronger taste.
Measurements are listed in milliliters/grams and ounces. Titles are written in English. Each recipe has a note on yield and prep time.
Crème Brûlée Bubble Tea
I love all things Crème Brûlée, so I was immediately drawn to the recipe for Crème Brûlée Bubble Tea when first opening the book.
This comforting drink pairs tapioca pearls with Assam black tea, lightly whipped cream, and a crisp, caramelized coating.
Begin by adding a layer of cooked tapioca pearls to the bottom of each glass. Pour in the black tea, then top with the brown sugar-sweetened milk.
To finish, cover the tea with lightly whipped cream, sprinkle with more brown sugar, and briefly torch to create a thin, crisp topping.
The Crème Brûlée Bubble Tea is best immediately after assembling. The caramelized layer will soften with time and lose that contrasting crisp texture.
Whip the cream just until thickened. It should not form completely stiff peaks.
Notable Ingredients
Tapioca Pearls (also known as tapioca balls, boba, or boba pearls) are naturally gluten-free, translucent little balls made with a tapioca starch (from cassava root) base. There are a few recipes for making homemade tapioca pearls, but I have not personally tried it yet.
They can be found in some markets with East Asian or Southeast Asian ingredients. For those in Northern Virginia, I was able to find multiple varieties of tapioca pearls at Lotte Plaza Market in Chantilly.
There are detailed instructions for preparing tapioca pearls in the book or you can follow the instructions on the back of the package. Once cooked, refrigerate the tapioca pearls in the syrup for up to three days.
Use an XXL-size straw for drinking the tea. This large size is necessary for including the tapioca pearls and jelly in each sip without them getting stuck.
More Bubble Tea
I also made the Caramel Latte, Matcha Tea, Pandan Jelly, and Waffle Lollipops.
The Caramel Latte had such a fun combination of flavors. Cooked tapioca pearls are paired with a milk tea sweetened with caramel syrup and vanilla syrup. We enjoyed it hot, but the drink can also be served cold in the summer.
The Matcha Tea is another easy option. Matcha (green tea powder) is whisked into hot water, then served over tapioca pearls with a plant-based or whole milk and sugar (simple) syrup for sweetness.
Along with tapioca pearls, a few of the recipes also use an assortment of jelly. I happened to have some pandan flavoring on hand, so I made Pandan Jelly! This jelly has agar-agar as the base and comes together easily with only a handful of ingredients. Once set, they become little cubes with a light, sweetened pandan or other favorite flavor.
There is also a recipe for Waffle Lollipops. This is such an exciting pairing for the drinks and was a particular hit with the kids. A yeast-based waffle dough is cooked in individual rounds and arranged on lollipop sticks. To serve, they are topped with a little whipped cream and sprinkles.
Bubble Tea is a fun pick for those interested in making bubble tea at home with a variety of flavors. There are tea and fruit-based options paired with tapioca pearls or jelly. Once the tapioca has been prepped, most of the drinks come together within 15 minutes.
Many of the ingredients are becoming more readily available in larger American grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include specialty syrups, taro powder, and fruit pearls.
Crème Brûlée Bubble Tea Recipe
Excerpt from Bubble Tea
Crème Brûlée Bubble Tea
Ingredients
- 450 milliliters (15 fluid ounces) boiling water
- 10 grams (1/4 ounce) Assam black tea
- 160 grams (5 1/2 ounces) cooked Tapioca pearls
- 170 milliliters (2/3 cup) full-cream (whole) milk
- 4 teaspoons brown sugar
- 200 milliliters (7 fluid ounces) cream
- 2-3 tablespoons icing (confectioners') sugar
Instructions
Prepare the Tea:
- In a teapot, pour the boiling water over the black tea and leave to steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain and pour the tea into a thermos to keep it warm.
Add Tapioca Pearls and Combine:
- In each glass, place tapioca pearls, then pour over the black tea.
- In a shaker, combine the milk and a little brown sugar.
- Shake two or three times and pour into the glasses.
Add Cream:
- Whip the cream for 5 minutes with an electric whisk, add a little icing sugar and stop just before the cream becomes fully whipped. It should be thickened but not stiff.
- Add it to each glass and sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Pass a crème brûlée torch for 4-5 seconds over the sugar.
Add Straw and Sip Away:
- Add the XXL straw and enjoy immediately.
Ashley
My husband loves boba tea and I can’t wait to try this out! Thanks for sharing!
Ann
I love bubble tea and this version looks so fun. Thanks!
suja md
This looks amazing and such a treat! Thank you!