Anyone who has ever had a real Bubble Tea knows the feeling: those soft, slightly chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom of the cup are simply addictive. The good news? You don't have to go to a shop for them – you can easily make tapioca pearls yourself. In this article, we'll show you how.
What are tapioca pearls anyway?
Tapioca is extracted from the cassava root and is naturally gluten-free. The small balls – also called tapioca pearls – are flavourless and take on a soft, almost creamy consistency when cooked. This is what makes them the perfect accompaniment for bubble tea. Uncooked, they are hard like small pebbles; after cooking, they transform into the characteristic, chewy balls we all love.
Making your own tapioca pearls – here's how
The basic recipe is surprisingly simple. You only need two ingredients: tapioca starch and water. You can find ready-to-cook tapioca pearls in many Asian shops or online – but if you really want to make them from scratch, follow these instructions:
- Ingredients: 100g tapioca starch, 60–70ml boiling water, optionally 1 tbsp cocoa powder or matcha for colour and flavour
- Step 1: Put the tapioca starch in a bowl. Add the boiling water spoonful by spoonful and stir immediately.
- Step 2: Knead the dough until it is smooth and pliable – it should feel like modelling clay, not sticky and not crumbly.
- Step 3: Roll small portions into a thin snake and cut off even pieces. Form these into balls of approx. 1 cm diameter.
- Step 4: Boil the pearls in plenty of bubbling water for 20–30 minutes until soft inside. Then turn off the heat and let them steep for another 15 minutes.
- Step 5: Drain, rinse with cold water, and immediately place them in sugar syrup – this keeps them soft and prevents them from sticking together.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The biggest mistake when making your own tapioca bubble tea pearls is using too little water or taking the pearls out of the pot too early. Make sure the balls are really cooked all the way through – a small white core in the middle means: cook a little longer. Also, you should never let them cool down without syrup, otherwise they will become rock hard. A simple sugar syrup (1 part sugar, 1 part water, bring to a boil briefly) is perfectly sufficient.
Buying tapioca in Switzerland – what you should know
You can get tapioca starch in Switzerland in Asian shops, sometimes also at Coop or Migros in the health food section. However, the quality and grain size are not always the same – for bubble tea, specially processed tapioca pearls Switzerland options from specialty stores are recommended, as they are more uniform and yield more reliable results.
Make it yourself or buy?
Homemade tapioca pearls are a great experience and a lot of fun – especially with children. For a quick bubble tea at home, however, ready-made tapioca pearls are the more stress-free choice. They are ready in minutes and deliver consistent results.
At Mein Bubble Tea you will find high-quality tapioca pearls to buy directly from Switzerland – fast delivery, tested quality and everything you need for your perfect bubble tea at home. Discover tapioca pearls in the shop now →