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Fusions have always had my heart. I like fusing flavors, cuisines, crafts, songs, people, ANYTHING! And this golden milk + boba fusion is so good. I dub it GOLDEN BUBBLE TEA!
I first had bubble tea in my late teens, going to the local bubble tea shop and drinking up all the things. Sweet, chewy, flavorful, and fun! For those who are unfamiliar, check this wiki on bubble tea.
And then I learned of my several allergies and intolerances. So I put bubble tea to rest for a bit, because at the time, milk alternatives were not as readily available. AND! The internet back then didn’t give great reviews of where to find spots that did in fact accommodate dairy-free needs. But since those times, non-dairy options have skyrocketed and there are quite a few places I can enjoy this beloved beverage. And I do! Yum yum!!!
Then, it’s no secret that I love me some golden milk. It’s warming, it’s flavor-filled, it’s nutritious. So good, all around.
And now here we are in September with everyone and their pup running for the nearest pumpkin spice latte. And to that I say, “NO! Stop it.” Y’all. It’s still summer. And it’s gonna be that way until later this month — so let’s savor it. Plus, in the PNW, there are still 80- and 90-degree days. If that doesn’t scream “get thee behind me, pumpkin spice!!!!” I don’t know what does.
But I get it. People crave what’s to come. The comfort. The spices. The coziness (I’d like to see people wear a scarf on an 82 degree day). But here’s where I have the perfect fusion to satisfy!
The Golden Bubble Tea! The perfect combo of the cool drinks of summer with the warming spices of fall.
Golden Bubble Tea
This deliciousness is just a fusion. And it’s really just three components combined:
- Golden milk base
- Non-dairy milk (diy below or you can buy some)
- Boba (diy below or you can buy it here!)
The second two can easily be done with pre-prepared versions from the store. Or you can make each from scratch and have each one of these for its own purpose or fuse them together for this magic! ✨
And added bonus! This is completely paleo so it’s not gonna spike sugar levels, and it is balanced with some fatty goodness and a pop of protein. I made my own boba so it was refined sugar free, and it was fun and easy! I can share that later if you want😃
Golden Bubble Tea
Ingredients
Golden Milk Base
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- 2-4 dates, pitted
Non-dairy Milk
- ¼ cup cashew butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Boba (Refined Sugar Free)
- 1 cup tapioca flour
- ⅓ cup boiling water
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
Instructions
Golden Milk Base
- In a blender, whirl all the golden milk base ingredients until completely smooth. Store in jar in fridge and let chill. This can be used for this drink, or heated up to make a hot golden milk in the cooler days.
Non-dairy Milk
- In a blender, combine the nut butter, water and vanilla until no more lumps and totally smooth. Store in jar until chilled. This can be used for this drink or any other milky purpose!
Boba
- Heat the water until boiling, then stir in the coconut sugar until dissolved. Heat again if needed.
- Stir in the tapioca flour — it will start getting shaggy and ruffled around the slowly forming dough but at that point transfer to a counter top or large plate and start kneading.
- Knead until a smooth ball of dough comes together, then portion off about a fourth and cover the rest with a towel or plastic wrap until ready to use.
- With the portion you've pulled off, roll it into a thing snake-like shape — about a centimeter. Then with a knife or pastry cutter (or just pulling off with your fingers), cut centimeter sized snippets.
- Roll the little chunks of dough into balls. Set aside. Do this with the remainder of dough, working in batches so the main hunk doesn't dry out.
- When all the boba balls are all rolled, place them in a pot of boiling water for 20 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick together.
- After a little bit of time, the boba will rise to the top. And once 20 minutes have passed, turn off the heat and let rest in the water for 10-15 more minutes.
- Drain the boba and rinse with cold water a few times to remove the excess starch and prevent more stickiness. Congratulations! You've made your own fun, chewy, delicious boba!
Assemble Golden Bubble Tea
- In a glass, layer your boba (I like to put a few tablespoons). Add ice as another layer, if you feel so led.
- Add half a glass worth of the golden milk base over the boba (or ice).
- Fill the rest of the glass with non-dairy milk. Stir. And enjoy!
