I recently discovered a new tea house in my town, where they serve hundreds of teas from around the world, and each table represents a different country or region of the world. It's so much fun to go there. I saw on their menu something called Bubble Tea, and decided to try it. It is a sweet cold milk tea with large tapioca "bubbles" on the bottom. You have to drink it with a fat straw so that you can draw up and eat the yummy tapioca with each sip.
Well, that tea was so good, I became addicted! I've gone back several times, but can't afford to go as often as I'd like. So I decided to recreate the food I love there so much at home, and have managed to duplicate that delicious Vanilla Bubble Tea. My version uses small pearl tapioca, so you can use a regular straw. I can't get enough of it. Give it a try! (If you have it at a restaurant, you'll find it comes in many different flavors.)
VANILLA BUBBLE TEA (Serves 6-8)
- Small Pearl Tapioca (Bobs Red Mills has it--I found it at Whole Foods Market)
- Half and Half, or any kind of milk or cream
- Sugar, or sugar substitute
- Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile Tea bags (the chamomile adds a wonderful element)
- Honey or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1. Make the tea: Place 4-6 tea bags into a large pitcher. Heat enough water to cover. Pour hot water into large pitcher and let tea steep and cool while you boil the tapioca.
2. Cook the Tapioca: Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a pot. Add 1/2 cup small pearl tapioca, and stir gently so that it doesn't stick to the bottom. As soon as you see some of the tapiocas floating at the top, place a lid on the pot. Keep it at a rolling boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring once in a while.
3. Once you see the water starting to gel, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 20 minutes. Then drain in a colander--you can run cool water over it if you wish.
4. Place drained tapioca into a container. Pour some honey over it or sprinkle on some brown sugar. This will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
5. Prepare the Vanilla Milk Tea: Pour some of the cooled Vanilla Chamomile Tea into a jar. Fill the jar about 2/3. Add your Half & Half or milk or cream--about 1/2 cup, or fill the other 1/3 of the jar. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring. Add 2-4 teaspoons of sugar or sugar substitute--sweeten to your liking. Stir or cover and shake it well. You can store this in the refrigerator for several days.
6. Assemble the Bubble Tea: take a beautiful clear wine glass; scoop a generous spoonful of tapioca on the bottom. Add some ice cubes. Pour on the Vanilla Milk Tea. Serve with a straw. Get hooked on Bubble Tea!