Mango Jasmine and Butterfly Pea Pearl Bubble Tea

Disclosure: This post is in a sponsored partnership with Suncore Foods. All images and opinions expressed are solely mine. Thank you for supporting brands that help make Sift & Simmer possible! 

I’ve been making my own bubble tea at home for quite some time now, and although it takes some time and effort, I like knowing what’s in my drink. As a visual person, colour plays a large role in how we perceive things.

I remember the first few times making bubble tea, something seemed missing. Tapioca starch is white, so naturally, the tapioca pearls I made were white, which didn’t “jive” with the whole concept of “bubble tea.”

I slaved over how long to steep the pearls in the blackest, darkest tea I could find just so I could naturally darken the tapioca balls so they would turn black, like a commercial bubble tea.

The tapioca pearls ended up brown, and sure they were tasty enough, but the sense of drinking bubble tea wasn’t quite there yet. It eventually didn’t bother me too much, and I ended up making my own “black” tapioca pearls using activated charcoal, which is all-natural.

COLOURING THE BOBA TAPIOCA PEARLS BLUE 

I came across some “rainbow” bubble tea with various colours (artificial colours) in the pearls and thought it would be cool to make a vividly different version — something that we don’t expect in bubble tea.

I used Suncore blue butterfly pea powder to colour the boba pearls naturally. Just add them to the tapioca powder when you make the dough.

So here’s my Mango Jasmine Blue Butterfly Pea Pearl Bubble Tea. Layered with icy mango milk, a hint of sweet jasmine tea, and the showstopper — luminescent blue tapioca pearls.

All homemade. All natural with no artificial colours or chemicals. I tried out this recipe a few times and my son (who’s my official taste tester) declared it amazing and drank it all himself!

Of course, with bubble tea — the limit is your imagination, so go and experiment! Let me know what you come up with — I’d love to see! Maybe you’ll make your own all-natural rainbow bubble tea? Tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment below. 

If you’d like to try out these powders for yourself, use my code SIFTANDSIMMER15 for 15% off your purchase at Suncore Foods.*

(*Note that the code is case sensitive. It is also only valid on www.suncorefoods.com and cannot be used on any bundles, cannot be combined with other offers or promotions, and cannot be redeemed for cash).

Print Recipe

Mango Jasmine Blue Butterfly Pea Pearl Bubble Tea

A refreshing mango and jasmine butterfly pea tea with blue boba pearls

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: bubble tea, butterfly pea, jasmine, mango

Servings: 1

Author: Michelle | Sift & Simmer

Ingredients

For the butterfly pea tea:

• ⅛ tsp Suncore Blue Butterfly Pea Powder
• 1 sachet Jasmine tea or any green tea of your choice
• ¼ C hot boiled water
• 1 Tbsp honey or sweetener of your choice

For the tapioca pearls:

• 12 tsp tapioca starch
• ¼ tsp Suncore Blue Butterfly Pea Powder
• 4 tsp hot boiling water
• water for cooking the tapioca pearls

For the mango milk:

• ½ C milk or non-dairy alternative
• 1 C frozen mango chunks
• 1 C ice crushed

Instructions

Make the butterfly pea tea:

• In a heat-safe jar, add ⅛ tsp butterfly pea powder, 1 sachet of Jasmine tea, and 1 T honey (if desired). Pour in the hot water and let steep.

Make the blue butterfly pea tapioca pearls:

• Bring some water to a boil.
• In a small bowl, add the tapioca starch, butterfly pea powder, and hot boiled water. Carefully stir the mixture together with a spatula at first, and then use your hands to knead into a dough. If it's a bit dry, add a tiny bit of water (just a little will do) and keep kneading until it reaches the texture of playdough.
• Working in 2 batches, pinch off a tiny piece of dough and shape it into a small ball (roughly the size of a green pea). Lay the tapioca balls onto parchment paper so it doesn't stick. Repeat with the remainder of the dough.
• Bring a small saucepot filled with water to a boil and add in the tapioca balls. Cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place the pearls into the butterfly pea tea prepared earlier.

Make the mango milk:

• In a blender, add the milk and frozen mango and blend until thick and frothy.
• Pour the mango milk into a serving jar. Add crushed ice, layer the butterfly pea tapioca pearls and pour the butterfly pea tea over top.
• Add a straw and serve immediately.

Did you try this recipe?Mention @siftandsimmer or tag #siftandsimmer!