There is no modern coffee shop where you won't find small balls at the bottom of your drink. They are actually bobs, small edible balls originating from Taiwan. Today, they are a popular addition to different drinks because they give them an exciting look and drinking experience.
But if you're skeptical, you'll definitely want to do more research on what boba tastes like.
Boba's texture, exciting look, and taste make every drink fun. First, however, you must be interested in the purpose and what types of bobs there are. Then, if you continue reading, you will find out precisely about boba and many other interesting facts.
Table of Contents
What Is Boba?
Boba is the name for balls made from tapioca starch (from cassava root). They originated in Taiwan in the 80s when these tea balls were boiled and added to drinks. These balls are cooked in brown sugar syrup to give them flavor and color. After soaking in caramelized brown sugar syrup, they acquire a characteristic dark color.
Bobas are often used in bubble tea (also known as pearl tea, tapioca tea, ball shake, or just "Boba"). That may confuse you, but the term Boba we use for both traditional bubble tea and the pearls at the bottom of the drink.
So, somewhere around the 90s, Bobas first appeared in America and became very popular. Today you can find them in all modern cafes.
They are added to juice, iced coffee, and even in some latte drinks such as Instant Pot pumpkin spice latte. In this way, they add an attractive look and an enjoyable way to drink. Well, before you try it, let's see how they taste.
What Does Boba Pearls Taste Like?
By itself, boba does not have a unique taste, so we say it's almost tasteless. That's why it quickly takes on other flavors and is excellent for combining different types of drinks. As we have already said, boba balls are cooked in caramelized brown sugar syrup or poured over it, thus taking on the aroma. Then they are soft and have a sweet taste.
Besides brown sugar, you can cover boba pearls with fruit syrup. So you can enjoy the flavors of strawberry, banana, kiwi, apple, and many other flavors you like. This is a great way to make an Instant Pot strawberry cobbler.
When we talk about the texture, boba pearls are soft and slightly gelatinous, and you can easily chew them.
Most popular types of boba
Several types of beans are more or less different in taste and texture. The taste of each of them is sweet. Only the intensity and type of sweetness differ. The most famous types of boba pearls are:
- Clear Boba
- Black Boba
- Popping Boba
- Mini Boba
- Flavored Boba
1. Clear Boba
Clear Boba is usually unflavored and is used in most milk-based teas. Considering that they do not have their unique taste, it easily takes on the flavors of drinks, creating a unique dimension of tea taste. Furthermore, due to their transparent color, they can be made into boba of different bright colors.
2. Black Boba
Black Boba is called because of its black color, created by adding brown sugar or caramel. It's produced the same way as clear beans (from cassava roots) with the addition of sugar that gives the bread a black color. This addition of color makes it even sweeter than clear boba and more interesting because of its appearance, and it's most often used in boba tea.
3. Flavored Boba
Flavored Boba is flavored tapioca pearls. They are cooked in flavored syrup or poured over it. So there are different flavors we can use, usually fruit flavors. That makes boba pearls juicy, sweet, fruity, and tangy. Some popular flavors are mango, strawberry, coconut, and aloe vera.
4. Mini Boba
As you can tell, mini beans are a miniature version of tapioca beans. Pearls are almost half the size of clear, black, or flavored boba. Mini boba is easier to drink from a straw and to chew, and therefore more attractive for consumption by many people. It can also be combined with different fruit flavors and is often served in bubble tea.
5. Popping Boba
As its name suggests, popping boba bursts in the mouth and releases sweet juice. This unusual bean is entirely different from the previous ones. It's made by the spherification process, based on the reaction of sodium alginate and calcium chloride. Long story short, pearls have thin gel skin with juice inside. When you press it in your mouth, it bursts and releases fluid.
Although it's not made of tapioca, this type of boba is becoming more and more popular precisely because of the exciting popping in the mouth.
Popping boba has a sweet taste that floods the mouth and is enjoyed by many. It's often used in shaking teas, smoothies, bubble tea, or frozen yogurt. Popular flavors are strawberry, melon, blueberry, kiwi, mango, and passion fruit.
What Does Boba Bubble Tea Taste Like?
Boba tea, or bubble tea, is the most famous drink with boba pearls. It contains brewed tea, milk (or creamer), sweeteners, and additives. Tea reaches its best taste when we use loose-leaf tea. Then the flavor is more decadent and more luxurious, unlike the one we get when we use tea from a bag.
Also, bubble tea contains milk. The taste of the milk can be different. You can use regular, almond, soy, condensed, or whatever you like. Milk makes the tea creamier and richer in taste.
When we talk about sweeteners and additives, boba is a great addition that gives an exceptional experience of drinking bubble tea. Along with bobs, you can add fruit or honey syrup.
The taste of bubble tea is sweet and creamy, and the chewable beans add a unique charm and make you want to order one more cup.
In Conclusion
If you are thinking about which variety of flavored beans to take, we suggest you try them all. Each of them is special and sweet and gives a unique drink experience. Although boba tea contains many carbohydrates due to sugar and sweeteners, sometimes you can give yourself a break and treat yourself to one cup of pure joy.
Boba FAQs
What Is Boba?
Boba is the name for balls made from tapioca starch (from cassava root). These balls are usually cooked in brown sugar syrup to give them flavor and color. Boba is used for traditional bubble tea and berries at the bottom of the drink.
What Does Boba Taste?
Regular boba doesn't have a unique taste. To achieve the aroma, you should cook it with brown sugar. Then bobs become soft with a sweet taste. Also, you can combine them with different fruit flavors and aromas.
Is Boba healthy?
Bobas are gluten-free, but we cannot say that it's healthy. They contain many carbohydrates but little vitamins and fiber, which doesn't make these balls an ideal healthy choice.
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