Brown Sugar Syrup for Boba & Milk Tea
A thick and sticky brown sugar syrup that's perfect for boba or bubble milk tea! It has a subtle caramel flavor and you only need 2 pantry-friendly ingredients.
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Syrup: (4-6 servings)
- ½ cup dark or light brown sugar, 100g, packed
- ¼ cup filtered water
For Boba:
Instructions
To Make the Brown Sugar Syrup
- Add the brown sugar and water to a small pot. Bring to a simmer over low heat and whisk to combine.½ cup dark or light brown sugar, ¼ cup filtered water
- Simmer the mixture for 5-7 minutes, whisking occasionally. The sugar should dissolve, and the mixture should become thicker and sticky. Keep an eye on the syrup during the cooking process.Important Tip: You never want the syrup to boil or it will thicken too much and start to turn into caramel. It should simmer gently on low heat.
- The syrup should thicken to a consistency slightly looser than honey. If using a thermometer, the temperature should be between 215°F – 234°F /101°C–112°C.
- Remove from the heat, pour into a heat-proof bowl or glass and set aside until the tapioca pearls are cooked (if making boba). The syrup will continue to thicken as it cools.
To Make the Homemade Boba
- Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the tapioca pearls and cook covered for 3 minutes. Then, turn off the heat, and remove the pot from the burner and cook for another 2-3 minutes. (I recommend checking the instructions on the package for your specific tapioca pearl).1 cup quick cooking black tapioca pearls
- Strain the cooked tapioca. Add the cooked boba to the brown sugar syrup.
- Stir them around to coat...and you have your brown sugar boba pearls!
Video
Recipe notes
- Let the syrup cool completely at room temperature: this will help to prevent crystallization. The syrup should be at room temperature before transferring to the fridge for storage.
- To store leftovers: refrigerate the syrup (without any boba) in an airtight container or jar for 2-3 weeks. If stored properly, the syrup can last a pretty long time in the fridge.
- Don’t let the syrup boil: if the syrup boils, it will thicken too much and become a caramel consistency.