How To Make Crystal Boba

Crystal boba is a type of tapioca pearl that is transparent and has a chewy texture. It is often used in bubble tea, other drinks, and desserts.

Making crystal boba at home is a relatively simple process, and the resulting pearls have a fresh, clean taste that is perfect for various recipes.

Continue reading to see my recipe for homemade crystal boba.

What Is Crystal Boba?

Crystal boba has a distinctive and intriguing texture and is known for its chewy, translucent appearance. It is similar in size to regular boba but is clearer in color.

When it is first made, it is soft like regular boba, but it becomes firmer and bouncier after soaking in the liquid for a while.

Compared to traditional tapioca pearls, crystal boba looks similar but has a more interesting texture. In the beginning, it is soft like regular tapioca pearls, but after sitting in liquid for a few minutes, it becomes firm yet bouncy.

What Is Crystal Boba Made Of?

Crystal boba is a type of bubble tea made with the konjac plant instead of tapioca flour, like a classic boba.

To make crystal boba at home, it’s easier to use agar powder or gelatin instead of the konjac plant. But both agar and konjac can be vegan alternatives to traditional gelatin.

Agar is made from seaweed and is, therefore, suitable for vegans. Some recipes also use the konjac plant as a vegan substitute for gelatin, but as said earlier, agar and gelatin are easier to use.

But if you don’t know which one to use, maybe I can help. I prefer agar powder because it has more nutrients than gelatin and is vegan-friendly.

How To Make Crystal Boba (Pearls)

Let’s see how to make crystal boba at home.

Ingredients & Tools

These ingredient sizes are for 2 servings.

Agar Powder	2.5g
Jelly Powder	2g
Coconut Water	200ml
Sugar	20g
Vegetable Oil	16ml
Water	400ml
Ice	500g

Tools you’ll need:

• A pot
• 2 bowls – one small, one big
• A squeezing bottle
• A spoon for stirring

Steps for Making Crystal Boba

1. Start by heating coconut water on low heat in a pot.
2. In a small bowl, mix sugar, agar, and jelly powder. Then add this mixture to the pot of coconut water, stirring to dissolve the powder. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Turn the heat down to low and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. After 5 minutes, turn off the heat but continue stirring for another 5 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, mix water, ice, and oil.
5. Use a squeeze bottle to drop the agar mixture into the ice bowl, one drop at a time. If the agar mixture thickens by the time you are done, heat it up again.
6. Once the pearls have set, they will sink to the bottom of the bowl.
7. Strain and rinse the crystal boba.

If you don’t have a squeezing bottle, you can use a syringe, but I don’t recommend that because you can’t get that big boba balls, and it takes a lot of time to finish the process.

FAQs