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Method

1. Bring 1 litre/1¾ pints water to the boil in a saucepan and then reduce to a simmer. Add the tapioca pearls and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the pearls don’t stick. Take the pan off the heat, cover with a lid and set aside for 15 minutes. Repeat the boiling and resting process, until the pearls are soft and translucent.

2. Drain the pearls, and while still warm add to a bowl with the sugar and 4 tablespoons warm water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the pearls are evenly coated in the brown sugar syrup.

3. For the classic bubble tea, put the milk into a small saucepan over a medium heat and bring just to a simmer. As soon as the milk begins to bubble, take it off the heat, add the tea bags and set aside to cool completely. Remove the tea bags.

4. For the fruity bubble tea, put the tinned mango (juice and all) into a small saucepan with half a tin’s worth of water and bring to the boil. Add the teabags and then immediately remove from the heat. Set aside to cool completely. Remove the teabags, then blend the mango mixture with the lime juice in a blender (or using a hand-held stick blender) until smooth. Add a splash of water to loosen if needed.

5. When you’re ready to serve, add 2 tablespoons of tapioca pearls to the bottom of two tall glasses (approx. 350ml/12fl oz). Divide the milk tea or mango tea between the glasses and top up with ice. Stir to mix well, adding a little more of the brown sugar syrup to taste. Garnish the mango tea with a sprig of mint, if you like.