Bubble tea originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s. It most commonly consists of tea accompanied by chewy tapioca balls. It is now extremely popular across many Western countries and, with a little molecular gastronomy, you can even make it at home! But how do you store it?
Can You Freeze Bubble Tea?
Yes, you can sort of freeze bubble tea for a few months. You cannot freeze a ready-made drink but you can freeze the tapioca balls that make up the bubble tea.
Do Does Bubble Tea freeze well? Sometimes
Can you refreeze Bubble Tea? No
How to Freeze Bubble Tea
Although you can have many different flavours of bubble tea and the balls that go in the drink, black tapioca balls are a common favourite.
For the purposes of this article, we will use them as an example. If you have too many tapioca balls or want to make them last longer, freezing is a great option.
This technique will allow you to keep your cooked Boba Tapioca Pearls longer while maintaining their chewiness and consistency:
- Make Tapioca balls
Make and cook your tapioca balls according to your favourite recipe. - Allow to Cool
Once you have cooked your tapioca balls, allow them to cool fully before freezing. - Bag up
Scoop the cooked and cooled tapioca balls into a freezer-safe, ziplock bag. - Squeeze
Squeeze out all the air from the bag and then seal at the top. - Label
Write the contents and date of freezing on the bag so that you know exactly what is inside and the date it should be used. - Freeze
Place the ziplock bags into the freezer, ideally laying them flat to make the best use of the space in your freezer.
3 Tips for Freezing Bubble Tea
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing bubble tea to have the best results:
Allow to Cool Thoroughly
Putting anything warm in the freezer is a recipe for disaster. Make sure that you cool the tapioca balls all the way through so that they will freeze in the best condition possible.
Portion Out
It may be worth portioning out the balls so that you can defrost them in smaller batches if you are making individual teas. This will save you time and prevent food waste.
Try Other Flavours
Bubble tea balls come in all sorts of flavours, so experiment with exotic flavours such as lychee, mango or orange to make your bubble tea even better.
How Long Can You Freeze Bubble Tea?
It is hard to say with any concrete number, but frozen tapioca balls should last a few months in the freezer. This is far, far longer than they would last in the fridge or at room temperature so is a good method of preservation.
You Can Freeze Bubble Tea for up to 3 Months
How Do You Defrost Bubble Tea?
Thawing the tapioca balls is a little bit of a process, but it will ensure that they are perfect for your bubble tea.
First, boil a small saucepan of water and then pour the frozen tapioca balls into the water. Stirring occasionally, cook the tapioca balls for approximately 5 minutes and then remove from the heat, allowing the balls to sit for a further 5 minutes. Then drain the water from the saucepan and run the tapioca balls under lukewarm water.
You can then use the balls in tea or place them in a bowl and cover with a sugar syrup to preserve them until needing to be used.
Can You Refreeze Bubble Tea?
No, you cannot refreeze tapioca balls after they have been cooked again. It is best to freeze the balls in individual portions, enough for one tea at a time, so that you do not need to refreeze anything.
Does Bubble Tea Freeze Well?
Although it is a bit of a tricky freezing and thawing process, tapioca balls used for bubble tea do freeze well when done correctly.
Typically, when tapioca balls are stored at room temperature or in the fridge, they will only last for a couple of hours. Therefore, freezing any excess tapioca balls is the best way to preserve them, especially if you are not going to be using them frequently.
