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Maybe you’re someone who enjoys drinking milk tea with tapioca pearls. It’s one of the most common boba drinks, and unless you’ve been living under a rock, it’s probably crossed your mind to wonder what the proper term for them is: bubble tea or boba tea?
If you’re curious about the difference between bubble tea vs boba, the short answer is that there are no differences. As both types of drinks become more popular, people have called them by different names. For example, people have called them pearl milk tea, pearl tea or tapioca teas.
But do you know that there are significant differences in technicalities between Bubble tea and Boba?
Bubble Tea
Regular bubble tea consists of hot and cold drinks that come in various flavours such as fruit flavours (such as honeydew, mango, peach, plum, and lychee) or healthy vegetable-based options cucumber.
People in Taiwan made these drinks a long time ago. You blend different components and add signature “bubbles” (tapioca pearls) at the bottom of the drink to make them. This drink is called bubble tea because of bubbles created by mixing tapioca balls and milk. As you shake vigorously, many tiny bubbles form on the surface.
One of the main characteristics of bubble tea drinks is that they come in a transparent cup with a fat boba straw. This means you can also sip on the tapioca or boba pearls it contains.
Bubble Tea Components
Recipes for the kind of bubble tea you can buy from your local bubble tea shop can be found with relative ease and won’t cost you a lot of cash. All it takes are these few key ingredients to make any kind of boba drink at home.
Tea base
Bubble tea is always made with some kind of tea base. The three most common choices are green, black or oolong tea. Many bubble tea shops and cafes now serve black and green teas, such as matcha and jasmine. There are some variations of the original product, too.
Flavours
Flavours are also an essential factor in bubble tea. Whether you want fruit or tea flavours, it’s up to your particular preference. You can make fruit-flavoured tea by using fresh fruits, purees, juice or syrup. The powder is a cost-effective alternative since it’s easy to find and not messy. It’s worth noting that you can make other healthy fruit-based versions of this drink by using fresh fruits or purees.
Milk or Cream
In bubble tea, the drink’s texture is essential and can be achieved with either dairy or non-dairy creamer. For lactose intolerants, almond or soy milk would work well.
Sweetener
The most commonly used sweetener in commercial boba milk teas is brown sugar and sugar syrup. However, you can also get your bubble tea served with no added sugar by some companies by using healthier alternatives such as stevia and aspartame. Sweeteners are an essential choice for anyone enjoying a more refined bubble experience.
Cold or warm water
There’s no specific rule for the liquid you’ll use for iced tea, but generally, using a powdered flavour first requires dissolving it in hot water before adding milk and other additives. If you’re using fresh fruit or purees, cold water will do.
Tapioca Balls
Chewing the tapioca balls is a common way to eat them in Asian cuisines. Tapioca pearls are often used in desserts, but it’s important to note that they can be challenging to cook because of their strict consistency. Should you wish to use store-bought tapioca globes, the easy option is to simply place them in a container and pour sugar syrup over them before heating them in an oven.
Ice
People like to add ice cubes to their boba tea before drinking it. The cold is a refreshing experience, which adds a cool touch.
What is Boba?
“Boba” is a term that can refer to the pearls of tapioca at the bottom of your drink. They are called this because they resemble the bubbles in a bubble tea.
Initially, these drinks were made with black boba in Taiwan, but they became famous worldwide, and different types of boba were created. There are now many different variations, one of which includes coloured boba.
To make a cup of pearl milk tea, you need to acquire some raw tapioca. Depending on your preference, you could choose between harder or softer pearls. To bear in mind, the pearls should be just chewy enough; otherwise, they won’t be enjoyable to drink. The best way to get the most out of your supplement is to follow the directions on the label.
Alternatively, you can buy tapioca pearls, which require a few minutes in the oven. Some people who like to prepare boba tea at home will prefer cooked boba already prepared. Some say it’s not chewy as the boba from raw tapioca. Honestly, we can’t tell.
What Do Boba and Bubble Tea Taste Like?
One of boba’s best qualities is that it takes on the flavour of its tea. So if you have taro milk tea and add in a pack of boba pearls, it’ll taste like taro!
On the other hand, bubble tea can have different flavours depending on what you add. It also contains tea, milk or cream, and sugar so that you can expect a creamy or sweet taste. If you are preparing your drink at home, you can customise the level of milk or sugar that goes into your drink.
Where Can You Buy Bubble Tea?
In places like Taiwan and Hong Kong, there are a lot of shops and restaurants where you can get bubble tea. In the US, you can find many tea shops and a lot of diners that serve bubble tea in highly populated cities such as NYC, LA and Chicago.
Apart from buying boba drinks from tea shops, you can easily prepare this Taiwan-made drink at home. The ingredients are widely available online and in supermarkets.
Conclusion
There is no difference between drinking bubble tea and boba. Nor should there be any argument about the drink’s name. People just want to get a delicious beverage and enjoy it, not ponder what to call it.
Is there much of a difference between bubble tea and boba? What do you think? Share your experience below in our review section for people who love or hate either one!
FAQs
Are you supposed to eat the balls in bubble tea?
The answer to this question is not straightforward. The balls in bubble tea are usually made of tapioca, a type of starch. It’s best to follow the instructions on the packaging, but it’s safe to say that it’s okay to eat the balls in bubble tea.
Does Starbucks have boba?
Although, for now, you won’t be able to find this option at your local Starbucks store, some people have found ways to order drinks that taste like Boba tea.
