Ingredients

• 2 strong black tea bags (English Breakfast works beautifully)
• 500ml boiling water
• 50g quick-cooking black tapioca pearls (boba)
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp hot water (for the sugar syrup)
• 150ml whole milk (or oat milk for a dairy-free babeltee)
• Ice cubes

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. First, let's brew the tea for our babeltee. Place the tea bags in a heatproof jug and pour over the 500ml of boiling water. Let it steep for a good 5 to 7 minutes so it's beautifully strong, then remove the bags and leave the tea to cool completely.
2. While the tea cools, prepare the tapioca pearls for your babeltee. Bring a small pan of water to a rolling boil. Add the tapioca pearls and stir gently. Boil them according to the packet instructions, usually about 15 to 20 minutes until they are perfectly chewy and translucent.
3. Once cooked, drain the pearls and rinse them briefly under cold water to stop the cooking process. This keeps them wonderfully springy in your babeltee.
4. In a small bowl, dissolve the dark brown sugar in the 2 tablespoons of hot water to create a rich, sweet syrup. Stir the cooked tapioca pearls into this syrup and let them sit for a few minutes to absorb that lovely sweetness.
5. Now, to assemble your babeltee! Take two tall glasses and divide the sweet, syrupy tapioca pearls evenly between them.
6. Add a generous handful of ice cubes to each glass.
7. Pour the cooled black tea over the ice, filling the glasses about three-quarters full.
8. Finally, top up each babeltee with the milk. You'll see a gorgeous swirling effect as the milk mixes with the dark tea. Pop in a wide babeltee straw and give it a good stir before enjoying!