Bubble Tea Milkshake

Steps

1. 1

   Brew the tea

   • Place 2 black tea bags in a heat-safe cup and pour 8 fl oz (240 ml) of hot water just off the boil over them.
   • Steep for 3–4 minutes until the tea is dark and fragrant, then remove the bags.
   • Let the tea cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.

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   Ready when: Tea is dark and fragrant; completely chilled before blending

   Tip: Brew strong tea so the flavor isn't diluted by the milk and ice. Cold brew tea overnight is a great make-ahead option.

2. 2

   Cook the tapioca pearls

   • Bring 2 cups (480 ml) of water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan.
   • Slowly add 0.25 cup (50 g) of tapioca pearls, stirring constantly to prevent clumping.
   • Once the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and maintain a gentle boil.
   • Cook for 15–17 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pearls are translucent with just a small white dot in the center.
   • Drain through a fine-mesh strainer and spread the cooked pearls on a plate to cool to room temperature.

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   Ready when: Pearls are translucent with a tiny white center; completely cooled before adding to shake

   Tip: Don't skip stirring at the start—pearls clump together easily. Overcooking makes them mushy; undercooking leaves them chewy and chalky.

3. 3

   Prepare the brown sugar syrup

   • If making syrup from scratch, combine 3 tbsp (45 g) brown sugar with 3 tbsp (45 ml) hot water in a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
   • Let cool to room temperature.
   • If using pre-made brown sugar syrup, ensure it has cooled before adding to the blender.

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   Ready when: Sugar is fully dissolved; syrup is cool to the touch

   Tip: Cool syrup before blending so it doesn't melt the ice prematurely, which would dilute your shake.

4. 4

   Blend the milkshake

   • Add the chilled brewed tea (about 8 fl oz / 240 ml), cold whole milk (1.5 cups / 360 ml), brown sugar syrup (6 tbsp / 90 ml), vanilla extract if using (0.5 tsp / 2.5 ml), and ice cubes (1.5 cups / 270 g) to a blender.
   • Blend on high speed for 60–90 seconds until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and frothy.
   • The shake should be thick enough to hold its shape when poured but still drinkable through a straw.

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   Ready when: Mixture is creamy, pale tan, and frothy with no visible ice chunks

   Tip: Don't overblend or the shake becomes too thin and watery. Stop as soon as it reaches a smooth, thick consistency.

5. 5

   Assemble and serve

   • Divide the milkshake evenly between 2 tall glasses.
   • Spoon the cooled cooked tapioca pearls into each glass, dividing them equally (about 3–4 tbsp / 45–60 ml per glass).
   • Stir gently to distribute the pearls throughout the shake.
   • Serve immediately with a wide bubble tea straw or regular straw, encouraging guests to sip some shake, then draw up a few pearls with each sip.

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   Ready when: Pearls are evenly distributed and shake is ready to drink

   Tip: Use a wide straw (bubble tea straw) if available so the tapioca pearls can pass through easily. If the pearls have clumped together, gently break them apart before serving.