Bubble Tea

Method

1. Make the tea first so it has time to cool. Bring the water to a rolling boil on high heat, turn off the heat, add the tea leaves and steep for 5 min. Strain and chill it in the fridge or over a bowl of ice water. It should be stronger than you would normally drink it, because milk and ice will dilute it.

   Add in this stepLoose black tea (Assam or Ceylon) 8 gWater for the tea 240 ml

   high heat

2. Put the dough sugar and water in a 14 cm small pot, bring to the boil on medium heat and let it bubble for 1 min until the sugar has dissolved. Turn down to low heat, add about a third of the tapioca starch and stir fast with a spatula for 20 to 30 seconds until it turns into a sticky, translucent paste.

   Add in this stepDark brown sugar (for the dough) 15 gWater (for the dough) 35 mlTapioca starch 18 g

   medium heat→low heat

3. Turn off the heat, add the rest of the starch and mix with the spatula into a crumbly mass. As soon as you can handle it (it is still hot, so be careful), knead for 4 min into a smooth dough that feels like modelling clay and no longer sticks to your hands. If it cracks, add a few drops of hot water; if it is sticky, add a little more starch.

   Add in this stepTapioca starch 42 g

4. Roll the dough into ropes 1 cm thick, cut them into 1 cm pieces and roll each between your palms into a ball. You will get about ~80 pearls; it takes around 14 min. Toss the pearls in the dusting starch so they don't stick together and keep them covered so they don't dry out.

   Add in this stepTapioca starch for dusting 2 tsp

5. Bring 1.5 L of water to a rolling boil in a large pot on high heat, shake the excess starch off the pearls, drop them in and stir straight away so they don't stick to the bottom. Once they float, half-cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 20 min, stirring now and then. Turn off the heat, put the lid on and let them sit for 10 min. Cut one open: when there is no white dot in the centre, they are done.

   high heat→medium heat

6. Drain the pearls and rinse them briefly under cold water to remove the slimy surface. In a 18 cm pan, melt the syrup sugar in the water on medium-low heat, add the pearls and simmer for 4 min, stirring, until the syrup is thick and glossy and clings to the pearls.

   Add in this stepDark brown sugar (for the syrup) 45 gWater (for the syrup) 40 ml

   medium-low heat

7. Spoon the pearls and their syrup into the glasses, then tilt and turn each glass so the syrup streaks the sides. Fill with ice, pour in the cooled tea and the cold milk, stir with a wide straw and drink right away while the pearls are still warm and soft.

   Add in this stepIce cubes 200 gCold whole milk 300 ml