The 5 Most Common Types of Boba, Explained for the Bubble Tea Newbie
- Black Boba. Boba, in the generalized sense, is tapioca pearls. ...
- Clear Boba. While the brown sugar in black boba gives a hint of extra sweetness, clear boba is straight starch from the cassava root.
- Flavored Tapioca Boba. Flavored boba is traditional boba pearls that have been cooked in or coated with a flavored syrup. ...
- Popping Boba. ...
- Mini Boba. ...
What's Popping Boba and why is it so popular?
Popping boba is popular for its burst of real fruit juice when chewing , bringing the idea of flavored boba to the next level. However, popping boba differs from flavored boba because it is not tapioca. Again, popping boba is created through a chemical and physical reaction to calcium. Popping boba is mostly used in smoothies and shaken iced teas.
Where to find popping boba?
- What is popping boba made out of?
- What's the difference between boba and popping boba?
- How does it work?
- Calories
- Flavours
- Ingredients
- Tools
- How long does popping boba last?
- Popping Boba Recipe | DIY at Home Using Sodium Alginate
- How to make without Sodium Alginate
What is the best place to get Boba?
- Wintermelon tea. Mildly sweet, fruity, and herbal. Goes well with almost any topping. Very sweet, so 50% sugar or less is ideal. Caffeine free.
- Kiwi fruit tea with Aiyu jelly. This one’s a little sour for me, but the complex fruity flavors blend well. ...
- Boba fresh milk. Icy and sweet, like a milkshake!
Where to buy bursting Boba?
Bursting Popping Boba (7.26lbs) (Strawberry) – Walmart.com. Where do you store popping boba? Store the pack of bubbles in a cool dry place, out of direct sunlight.
What is clear Boba made of?
Clear tapioca pearls are made from starch that comes from cassava root. This starch is used as a thickening agent in a variety of foods and is incredibly versatile due to its clear, translucent appearance. To give tapioca pearls their dark color, brown sugar is added.
What is the difference between black and clear Boba?
The primary differences between clear and black boba are that black ones are darker in color and cooked with brown sugar. Can you add flavor to boba? Both black and clear boba can be prepared in a way that adds flavor to the tapioca. This is often done by soaking the cooked pearls in a sweetened and flavored syrup.
Is clear Boba good for you?
Are They Healthy? Generally, all boba is unhealthy, since they are essentially textured vessels of syrup in your drink. White pearls, however, are considerably healthier than other varieties of boba.
Is crystal boba better than regular boba?
This root has very little taste but many nutritional benefits and has been revered in ancient Asian medicine. That is why crystal boba is considered the healthier choice among boba selections. Regular boba, or tapioca pearls, are made from tapioca root starch.
What does clear boba taste like?
Clear Boba Clear boba is relatively tasteless on its own, which is why it's used in most milk-based bubble teas. The tapioca pearls are able to absorb the milk and flavor of the tea, thus becoming one with the flavor of your tea.
How do you make clear boba?
InstructionsBowl water.Add 1/2 C boba pearls.Boil for 1 hour.Strain boba pearls.Soak pearls in water for 8+ hours.Re-boil pearls for 10-20 minutes until clear.
Why is boba unhealthy?
Boba are basically all carbs — they lack any minerals or vitamins and contain no fiber. One bubble tea can contain as much as 50 grams of sugar and close to 500 calories. While one bubble tea here and there is unlikely to have severe effects on your health, it should absolutely not be consumed on a daily basis.
What is the healthiest bubble tea?
matcha bubble teaZero-calorie bubble tea does exist, but the healthiest bubble tea is a matcha bubble tea. "Here we can also create a close-to-zero-calorie drink: pure ice tea with zero sugar and chia seeds. "But if you want a nutritious rather than zero-calorie drink though, I'd go for a matcha bubble tea.
Are tapioca pearls cancerous?
Despite a handful of news reports to the contrary, there's no scientific evidence linking boba to cancer. The study that led to these claims misidentified several compounds and was never published or peer reviewed.
What is white pearl boba?
Tapioca Pearls, aka Boba, Tapioca Balls, or Bubble Balls, are translucent balls made from the cassava root. These white boba balls are colorless after preparation and are easier to add color. The bubble balls usually soak in sugar syrup to give them the sweetness.
What is Rainbow boba?
In this version of boba tea, rainbow jellies are used in place of tapioca pearls. The jellies are made from real coconut meat, and each has a slight coconut taste with a unique fruit flavor. The rainbow jellies are a bit softer, and their firm texture adds an extraordinary taste to your bubble tea.
What flavor is crystal boba?
grapefruitCrystal Boba - also called Agar Boba or White Pearls - has a chewy yet not-so-jelly-bouncy, gelatin texture. The beautiful, translucent spheres are immersed in the syrup with a subtle grapefruit, citrus flavor.
1. Black Boba
Boba, in the generalized sense, is tapioca pearls. Also called bubbles or pearls, black boba is found in mostly milk-based bubble tea. One of the "standard boba pearls," black boba, is made from the cassava root. The black coloring is created by added brown sugar or caramel coloring.
2. Clear Boba
While the brown sugar in black boba gives a hint of extra sweetness, clear boba is straight starch from the cassava root. Clear boba is relatively tasteless on its own, which is why it's used in most milk-based bubble teas. The tapioca pearls are able to absorb the milk and flavor of the tea, thus becoming one with the flavor of your tea.
3. Flavored Tapioca Boba
Flavored boba is traditional boba pearls that have been cooked in or coated with a flavored syrup. The flavors can range from fruity flavors, such as mango and strawberry, to exotic flavors, such as coconut and aloe. Note that flavored tapioca pearls are also called jelly pearls at some cafes.
4. Popping Boba
Similar to the Gushers fruit snacks we all wanted in our lunch boxes back in the day, popping boba is infused with a flavored surprise. This type of boba (also called juice balls) is created through molecular gastronomy. This type of cooking involves taking flavored fruit juices and mixing them with powered sodium alginate.
5. Mini Boba
We've returned to the world of traditional boba: tapioca boba. Mini boba is exactly as it sounds—it's a smaller version of black, clear, or flavored boba. If you find that normal-sized boba is too hard to drink up with a straw or too annoyingly chewy, mini boba may be the perfect option for you.
From taro milk tea to blended slushies with pudding, we've got you covered
As someone who grew up in what might very well be the boba capital of America—the San Gabriel Valley—milk tea courses through my veins. Weekly trips to get boba turned into semi-weekly, then, daily. High school study group sessions took place at boba shops, with Taiwanese-style popcorn chicken and jasmine green tea providing sustenance.
Bases
The tea base for boba drinks is usually black or green tea and can be customized with an array of syrups like peach, strawberry, and lychee. Milk can also be added to teas, transforming them to milk teas, and making for a much creamier, indulgent drink. The classic “boba milk tea” order is a black tea with milk and boba.
Toppings (maybe the most important part)
Boba This is the quintessential topping at any tea parlor. Once these balls of cassava root are rolled into bite size bunches, they’re boiled and flavored, often with brown sugar or honey. The result is a subtly sweet, chewy addition to your drink that increases the fun of having a milk tea tenfold.
How it is served?
When your boba drink is ordered—customized with ice levels, sweetness, and toppings galore—your creation typically goes through a special sealing machine.
What is Boba Made From?
Boba is made from tapioca starch, also known as cassava starch, which is why they're often also labeled as "tapioca pearls." They're small spheres that are often simmered in a brown sugar syrup to give them a sweet taste and dark black color. Boba is practically tasteless, making it easy to pair with a variety of drinks.
How is Boba Used?
Boba's most popular use is in bubble tea, which is also called pearl tea, tapioca tea, or (confusingly enough) boba. The term "boba" is used interchangeably to refer to the tapioca pearls at the bottom of the drink and to the drink itself.
Where Can You Buy Boba?
To get prepared boba, look for a Taiwanese bubble tea shop near you. Many Asian markets also carry bottled bubble tea, which is found in the refrigerated section. Boba can also easily be made at home, all you need to do is buy some tapioca pearls and follow a recipe like this Homemade Brown Sugar Bubble Tea.
Bursting Boba
Also known as popping pearls or popping boba, this is one of the most popular toppings used in bubble tea. They come in a variety of flavors and colors to create a truly one-of-a-kind flavor to your beverage. As you bite into these balls, you’ll notice that they have a chewy, yet quite pleasing texture.
Tapioca Balls
Tapioca balls are made from dried cassava root (also known as yucca, aipm, madiaco, and Brazilian arrowroot). This plant is a woody shrub that’s native to South America. Once the leaves have been removed from the plant, they turn into a starch, which is then turned into small balls that are used to create tapioca balls.
Crystal Boba
Last – but most certainly not least – of the dazzling toppings that can be used to flavor your bubble tea is crystal boba. It’s considered a specialty boba because it’s truly unique; even more so than the previously mentioned boba pearl options. It’s also known as agar boba or white pearl tapioca because of the whitish-clear coloring.
Wrapping It Up
Whether you enjoy sipping bubble tea at your favorite café, you own your own establishment, or you’d like to make this delightfully refreshing beverage at home, you’ll be delighted by these three wonderful boba options.
Clear Pearls
You find tapioca pearls used as thickening agents in soups and sauces that benefit from a glossy sheen, and sometimes pie fillings. Soak clear tapioca pearls in water overnight before using them as a thickener or for pudding.
Black Pearls
To make bubble tea, simmer black tapioca pearls until they float, about 12 to 15 minutes, then let them steep another 12 to 15 minutes. Mix together equal parts hot water and sugar together and stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour this over the hot boba and chill it in the refrigerator overnight.
