Cornstarch Boba - Strawberry Ice Cream Boba Drink
”What can you use instead of tapioca flour for making boba?" So many people have been asking me this question. For you all, I tried to make some cornstarch boba pearls. Surprisingly, I found out that you can actually use cornstarch, as a good replacement for tapioca flour, to easily make boba.
Equipment
- 1 Nonstick pan
- 1 Large Pot
Ingredients
- 100 g strawberry ice cream (Or any other flavors you like)
- 20 g strawberry syrup (May need to add 1 more tsp of strawberry syrup to the dough if it feels dry)
- 6 tbsps cornstarch (May need to add 1 more tsp of cornstarch to the dough if it feels sticky)
Instructions
- Add 100g strawberry ice cream and 20g strawberry syrup to a nonstick pan. Turn on medium-low heat, stir until the ice cream is simmering.
- Quickly add 3 tbsps of cornstarch to the mixture, stir until dissolved.
- Stir the mixture with a spatula for about 5 minutes until the mixture has been thickened - when you tilt the pan, the mixture won't flow like a liquid.
- Turn off the heat, add 3 tbsps of cornstarch to the pan, mix with a spatula.
- Transfer the dough out to a kneading bowl or a kneading mat.
- Knead the dough with your hands until smooth. (If the dough is sticky, you can gradually mix in an extra 1 tsp of cornstarch to the dough. If the dough is too dry, you can add 1 tsp of strawberry syrup or water to the dough.)
- Pinch small pieces of dough by hand, roll them into ¼-inch-diameter balls. (The boba dough will become dryer once it cools down. If the boba cracks when you roll it, you can add a little bit of water to the rest of the dough, knead the dough until it's smooth again.)
- In a large pot, boil ⅔ pot of water. Use medium high heat. Add the bobas to the boiling water. Stir gently to prevent them from sticking to each other.
- Once all the bobas are floating, cover the pot, simmer the bobas over low heat for 30 minutes.
- Drain the bobas. Make them go through iced water for a chewier texture.
To make a strawberry boba drink (1 serving 16oz)
- Add 300ml milk and 1 tsp of strawberry syrup to a cup, stir to mix well.
- Add ½ cup of boiled boba and 1 tbsp of strawberry syrup to a 16 oz cup, stir to mix well. Fill the cup with ice cubes and strawberry milk.
- Dice 2 fresh strawberries into small cubes. Sprinkle the diced strawberries on the top of the drink.
- Optionally, add one scoop of ice cream on the top.
Video
Notes
1. Boba made from tapioca starch is much chewier and bouncier than cornstarch boba. You should use tapioca starch if you want to make authentic-taste boba.
This recipe is for people who really want to try making boba at home while couldn't find tapioca starch anywhere. If you have tapioca starch at home, you can follow my strawberry boba recipe or brown sugar boba recipe.
Although cornstarch boba is less chewier, it can still add some gummy like texture to your drink.
2. The cornstarch dough should be easily rolled into balls. The dough will become dryer once it cools down. If the boba cracks when you roll it, you can add a little bit of water to the rest of the dough, knead the dough until it's smooth again.
3. I guess you like my cute mini ice cubes. Don't you? I bought my silicone mini ice cube tray from Amazon. They are $8 for two. And they make adorable mini ice cubes!