If boba milk tea and french toast had a baby, it would be this love child of milk tea infused french toast, topped with a milk tea sauce and brown sugar boba!
What is boba milk tea? Boba milk tea, also known as bubble tea, is a sweet drink originating in Taiwan which combines milk, tea (typically black tea), and tapioca boba pearls. It’s usually served cold, iced, or blended. The boba pearls have a soft and chewy texture similar to that of a gummy candy.
I used to drink boba milk tea regularly when I was in high school - and by regularly, I mean basically everyday. The same can’t be said nowadays, but when a friend recently gifted me with a make-your-own boba kit, it re-ignited my love for all things boba milk tea. Fast forward to earlier this week when I opened the fridge and realized we had three loaves of bread inside (yikes!). Instead of eating grilled cheese sandwiches for the foreseeable future, I decided I wanted to do something different. A bag of boba pearls laying in the pantry caught my eye and I thought to myself “Hmm, I wonder if I could use these two items together?” and viola, boba milk tea french toast was the result!
The french toast has a subtle black tea flavor, and the milk tea sauce tastes just like its namesake - sweet, milky and delicious! The addition of boba pearls adds texture and chew to the dish along with additional sweetness from the brown sugar.
As a forewarning, this recipe is slightly more involved, so I broke up the prep work over a span of two days by making the black tea infused milk and milk tea sauce the night before, but you can certainly make this dish in one day if you’d like.
Day 1: Make the black tea infused milk and milk tea sauce
Day 2: Make the french toast and cook the boba
Notes:
If making this dish on the same day, allow the black tea infused milk to cool (by placing in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes) before combining it with the egg mixture to ensure the heat from the milk does not cook the eggs.
Boba is best eaten immediately after cooking so I would recommend not making this a day in advance as the texture will get tough and hard to chew.
Feel free to double the recipe for more french toast! If doubling the recipe and you want a less egg-y french toast, use 3 eggs instead of 4 and increase the amount of milk to an additional 2 tablespoons.
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Yield: Makes 3 slices of french toast
INGREDIENTS
For the Black Tea Infused Milk:
1 tablespoon loose leaf crushed black tea (fill a tea bag with the loose leaf tea)
1/3 cup whole milk
For the Milk Tea Sauce:
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoon heavy cream
3 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons loose leaf crushed black tea (fill a tea bag with the loose leaf tea)
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 & 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
For the French Toast:
1/3 cup black tea infused milk
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 slices of brioche or white bread
1/4 cup boba tapioca pearls
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
For the black tea infused milk: First, pour loose leaf tea into a tea bag. Warm milk on low-medium heat in a small pot. Be sure not to overheat the milk or it will curdle. Once milk begins to simmer, place tea bag into pot and lower the heat. Steep tea in milk for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently pressing the tea bag into the milk to ensure all the black tea flavor is infused into the milk. The milk should start to turn a light milky brown color. Turn heat off and squeeze tea bag to get all the black tea flavor out. Store covered in refrigerator if not using same day.
For the milk tea sauce: Pour loose leaf tea into a tea bag. Place tea bag in hot water and allow to steep for 5-7 minutes. Gently press contents of tea bag into water to ensure black tea flavor is maximized.
While tea is steeping, combine cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
Warm milk and heavy cream on low-medium heat in a small pot. Be sure not to overheat the milk and cream or it will curdle. Once milk and cream begin to slightly simmer, place tea bag into pot and lower the heat. Steep milk for 1 minute, gently pressing tea bag into milk with a spoon. You want to get as much black tea flavor out of the tea bag and into the milk mixture as possible. Add tea infused water into the milk mixture stirring occasionally. The milk should start to turn a light milky brown color. Add sugar and cornstarch. Heat on low stirring occasionally for 16-20 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and set aside (store covered in refrigerator if not using the same day).
For the french toast: Cook boba tapioca pearls in water according to packaged instructions. Typically this is about 30 minutes. After cooked, drain water from boba. Boba should be tender and chewy. Mix brown sugar with drained boba. While the boba cooks, you can get started on the french toast. In a shallow dish, whisk together black tea infused milk, milk, eggs, and sugar.
In a 10-inch or 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Dip both sides of bread in milk-egg mixture ensuring bread is well coated. Fry slices until golden brown, then flip to cook other side. Serve french toast with milk tea sauce and top with brown sugar boba.
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