Taro Milk Tea Recipe
Make Taro Milk Tea Recipe in just 40m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Taro Tea Base
Tea & Flavoring
Tapioca Pearls (Boba) - optional
Ice & Assembly
Method
Tapioca Pearls (Boba) - optional
- 1
Cook boba
Bring 1,000 ml (about 4 cups) water to a rolling boil in a medium pot. Add 1/4 cup uncooked tapioca pearls and stir gently so they don't stick. When pearls float, reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 8–12 minutes depending on package instructions until they are tender but still slightly chewy. Stir occasionally.
- 2
Sweeten boba
Turn off heat, cover, and let the pearls sit for 10 minutes (for chewier texture) or drain immediately for softer. Drain pearls and transfer to a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons brown sugar while warm so they soak up the syrup. Set aside.
Taro Tea Base
- 3
Prepare taro
If using taro powder: place 1/2 cup taro powder into a heatproof bowl and add 120 ml hot water. Whisk vigorously until smooth and no lumps remain. If using fresh cooked taro puree: combine 1/2 cup cooked taro puree with 60–120 ml cooking water or warm water and whisk until smooth.
- 4
Sweeten and finish taro base
Add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and a pinch of salt to the warm taro mixture and whisk until sugar dissolves. Stir in 1 cup whole milk and 2 tablespoons half-and-half (if using). Taste and adjust sweetness or milk — the mixture should be flavorful and slightly sweeter than you want the final drink because it will be diluted with ice and tea. Keep warm or chill briefly.
Tea & Flavoring
- 5
Brew strong black tea
Boil 240 ml water and steep 2 black tea bags for 4–5 minutes to make a strong brew. Remove the tea bags, squeezing gently to extract flavor, and let the tea come to room temperature or chill in the fridge until cool.
- 6
Combine tea and taro
Once the tea is cool and the taro base is smooth, pour 3/4 cup of the brewed tea (about 180 ml) into the taro-milk mixture and whisk to combine. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and taste. Adjust by adding more tea if you want a lighter tea flavor or more milk/taro for creaminess. If needed, dissolve additional sugar in a tablespoon of warm tea and whisk in to sweeten.
Ice & Assembly
- 7
Assemble drinks
Divide the prepared sweetened boba (if using) between two serving glasses. Fill each glass with ice (about 1/2 cup per glass). Pour the combined taro-milk-tea mixture over the ice, filling glasses and leaving ~1/2 inch at top. Stir gently to combine layers.
- 8