Tapioca Pearls
The essence of bubble tea itself - the yummy tapioca pearls. I find this recipe ensures the pearls stayed soft like fresh gummy bears.

Ingredients:
Ratio:
Tapioca Pearl : Water = 1:8

Instructions:
1. Boil water at a high temperature in a pot

2. Once boiled, add tapioca pearls to the hot water and turn temperature down to medium.

3. Cook for approximately 35 - 45 minutes on medium heat stirring regularly to ensure the pearls do not stick to the bottom. You will slowly see the water start to change colour.

4. Soon, you will start to see the pearls floating to the top - keep stirring to ensure they all float up.

5. After 35 - 45 minutes, turn off the heat and you will see most of the pearls have floated to the top.

6. Put lid on pot and leave to cool  (steep) for half the time you cooked for - 17 - 22 minutes. Do NOT take the lid off whilst pearls are cooling otherwise you will have to start again from the beginning.

7. Once the time is up, remove the lid and pour the pearls out onto a sieve and rinse with cold water. 

8. Pour balls into a bowl and cover with sugar syrup to keep soft and sweet.

Ours came out deliciously soft - maybe 5 minutes too much (We cooked for 45 minutes and steeped for 20) but as most of the drinks we were making were ice blended, it balanced out fine and were just right.

Tips

- You may find buying a mini sieve (holds small handful) useful in scooping the tapioca pearls out from the bowl to drain the sugar syrup and keep consistent quantities in your drinks.

- Sugar Syrup Recipe

- Syrup can be substituted with honey, fructose, or brown sugar according to preference

- Keep the pearls at room temperature - do not put in fridge or the balls will harden and will ruin

- For best pearls, only keep for 4-6 hours otherwise they may become too mushy and soft.