In this summer section, we made lots of boba recipes. For all of the bubble tea recipes, the first step is to cook boba pearls. So I decided to separate this guide as there are lots of changes concerning tapioca pearls.
What are tapioca pearls?
Tapioca pearls, the plain and common boba pearls, are round chewy pearls made from tapioca starch. We have introduced how to make homemade boba pearls at home from the starch itself. Boba pearls may have lots of colors depending on the ingredients used. Brown sugar or Asian black sugar can be used to make black or dark brown tapioca pearls and golden tapioca pearls. Other coloring ingredients like strawberry, mango, passion fruit, and dragon fruit may help to create lovely colored tapioca pearls.
Black tapioca pearls are tapioca pearls usually with black coloring. They are the most common types of tapioca pearls.
Brown sugar tapioca pearls have a darker brown color from brown sugar. It contains all-natural ingredients.
Golden tapioca pearls are made with brown sugar too but with a totally different ratio. The golden color is achieved by reducing the amount of brown sugar.
Why we are using tapioca pearls instead of boba pearls
In most cases, boba pearls are equal to tapioca pearls. But there are two new groups of boba that have been quite popular now: popping boba and crystal boba. Both of the new types of boba do not require any pre-cooking method.
Three types of store-bought tapioca pearls
If you plan to buy tapioca pearls from online stores or boba shops, figure out the three types and then follow the instructions.
- Instant tapioca pearls: those tapioca pearls have been cooked previously and packaged in syrup. They are ready to use and you don’t need any further cooking process.
- Quick tapioca pearls or 5 minutes tapioca pearls: Quick tapioca pearls are also packaged in an air-tight bag, similar to regular tapioca pearls. But they are pre-softened. The cooking time can be much shorter than common dried boba pearls.
- Homemade or regular tapioca pearls: For homemade or store-bought tapioca pearls, the cooking time can be a little bit longer. So if you are making bubble tea at home, cook the tapioca pearls first before moving to other preparation.
How to cook tapioca pearls with a half cooking half resting method
Step1: Boil the water
Bring a large pot of water (Recommend 10 times in volume) to a rolling boil.
Step 2: add the tapioca pearls and cook
Add the tapioca pearls to the boiling water. Stir the tapioca pearls gently to prevent them from sticking together. Cook for 20 minutes or 5 minutes for quick boba pearls on medium heat.
Step3: rest it
Turn off the fire and let it rest for another 20 minutes or 5 minutes for quick boba.
Step4: rinse or soak
Rinse the tapioca pearls in running water to remove extra starch. For an even chewier texture, soak the tapioca pearls in iced water.
Step5: Sweeten the tapioca pearls
Drain the tapioca pearls and then flavor the tapioca pearls with simple syrup honey or brown sugar syrup. If you don’t have syrup by hand, mix it with white sugar. If you want a caramelized brown sugar version, add some brown sugar in a saucepot, then place the cooked tapioca pearls in. Cook until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Now your tapioca pearls are ready to serve.
How to store leftover tapioca pearls
I suggest cooking tapioca pearls in smaller batches because they will harden very quickly (they can last for 4 hours usually). So recommend starting with 1/4 cup of tapioca pearls for 2 cups of bubble tea. So if using 1 cup of tapioca pearls, you will need to prepare 8 servings of bubble tea.
If you have dry leftover tapioca pearls, remember to seal them completely with an air-tighter container and then place them in the fridge. It can last for 2 weeks.
How to eat tapioca pearls
The most common way of using tapioca pearls is to make bubble tea. But you can also use it as a topping for tarts, cakes, or ice creams.
What are white tapioca pearls?
White tapioca pearls are made with tapioca starch, white sugar, and water. It has a white color which is different from the black tapioca pearls. Only color differences, no taste and texture ones.
How long cooked tapioca pearls can last
It can last for around 4 hours, so always make smaller batches.
How to cook boba pearls- Regular boba or homemade boba
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked tapioca pearls
- 8 cups water
Sweetener
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
Boil the water
- Bring a large pot of water (Recommend 10 times in volume) to a rolling boil.
add the tapioca pearls and cook
- Add the tapioca pearls to the boiling water. Stir the tapioca pearls gently to prevent them from sticking together. Cook for 20 minutes or 5 minutes for quick boba pearls on medium heat.
rest it
- Turn off the fire and let it rest for another 20 minutes or 5 minutes for quick boba.
rinse or soak
- Rinse the tapioca pearls in running water to remove extra starch. For an even chewier texture, soak the tapioca pearls in iced water.
Sweeten the tapioca pearls
- Drain the tapioca pearls and then flavor the tapioca pearls with simple syrup honey or brown sugar syrup. If you don’t have syrup by hand, mix it with white sugar. If you want a caramelized brown sugar version, add some brown sugar in a saucepot, then place the cooked tapioca pearls in. Cook until the sugar is completely dissloved.
Video
How to cook boba pearls- 5 minutes boba
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked tapioca pearls
- 8 cups water
Sweetener
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
Boil the water
- Bring a large pot of water (Recommend 8 times in volume) to a rolling boil.
add the tapioca pearls and cook
- Add the tapioca pearls to the boiling water. Stir the tapioca pearls gently to prevent them from sticking together. Cook for 5 minutes for quick boba pearls on medium heat.
rest it
- Turn off the fire and let it rest for another 5 minutes for quick boba.
rinse or soak
- Rinse the tapioca pearls in running water to remove extra starch. For an even chewier texture, soak the tapioca pearls in iced water.
Sweeten the tapioca pearls
- Drain the tapioca pearls and then flavor the tapioca pearls with simple syrup honey or brown sugar syrup. If you don’t have syrup by hand, mix it with white sugar. If you want a caramelized brown sugar version, add some brown sugar in a saucepot, then place the cooked tapioca pearls in. Cook until the sugar is completely dissloved.
Conclusion
In this post, we learned how to cook tapioca pearls, which are also called boba pearls. Well-cooked tapioca pearls have a lovely chewy texture. If you want it to be softer, serve the boba pearls in bubble tea as warm pearls. Soaking in cold water can make it even chewier. You can use the cooked tapioca pearls in bubble tea, desserts or any types of smoothie.