{must have} Honeydew Bubble Tea

After splurging on a a ridiculously priced tapioca drink, I was determined to figure out how to make it myself.

I did. And, now I can’t stop. Not only have I already made a batch today (which is now gone), but I volunteered to bring a batch to a picnic tonight.

Since anyone with an obsession loves company, I’m sharing a how-to here.

Here’s the basics of what you need for 4 servings:
1/4 cut-up honeydew
1 cup green tea made from normal green tea bags from the grocery store
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbl. Splenda
Crushed ice
1/2 cup dried Boba pearls (more about these in a bit)
1 teas. brown sugar
Jumbo straws (for smoothies or specifically for boba/bubble tea, I got mine at Walmart–a box of 40 for $1.98)
Can of whipped cream for the top to make it extra special

Step 1: Hunt down Boba pearls. They gotta be the jumbo marbly looking tapioca pearls (which frankly look really weird uncooked). I found mine at a Chinese market nearby. They had several different colors but the lady suggested these to me. The big ole bag will last a long time as a 1/2 cup of them is enough for 4 drinks. The bag cost me a little over $4.

Step 2: Boil water and steep 1 cup of water with a green tea bag. Let it steep for maybe 10-15 minutes and then put it in the frig. Think ahead and do this before you have the hankering for the drink as it really should be cold or at least cool. Maybe a little bit in the freezer will do the trick if you are short on time.

Step 3: Cut up 1/4 of a honeydew and put in the blender until it’s fully pureed then put that in the frig too. (note: don’t wash the blender, you’ll use it later)

Step 4: Pour the green tea into the honeydew puree and add 1/2 cup of milk and 2 Tbl. Splenda

Step 5: Boil a small pot of water. Measure out 1/2 cup boba pearls and add to the water when it is rapidly boiling. Set your timer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn off heat and cover and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Carefully drain and put the jelly, marble-like pearls into a bowl. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of brown sugar over them to sweeten them a bit and help keep them soft. Put them in the frig to cool a little while you do the next step.

Step 6: (all these steps are making this seem way more complicated than it is, but I’m anal retentive about steps) Add maybe 3/4 cup crushed ice to your blender and about 1/2 of your honeydew mixture. Blend until frothy and white and yummy looking. (note: I had to do one half and then the other half because it wouldn’t all fit in my blender)

Step 7: Grab your cooked and cooled bobas and put about a 1/4 of them in the bottom of a glass, pour your tea on top, top with whipped cream if you want to be fancy, and grab your big ole straw that you can use to drink and suck those pearls up with.

What other flavors can I come up with….hmmm…