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    Decorated Treats » Recipes » Beverage Recipes

    How to Make Lychee Jelly for Bubble Tea

    Published: Aug 17, 2022 · Modified: Aug 24, 2023 by Priya Maha

    Jump to Recipe

    Wondering how to make lychee jelly for bubble tea? Here is an easy recipe for you.

    Jellies not only make great dessert, they make great jelly boba for milk teas and fruit teas too. Served cold with ice cubes, this lychee jelly boba is as good as boba pearls made with tapioca starch and are an absolutely perfect match for lychee milk tea.

    Two glasses of iced tea with bubble tea straws.
    How to Make Lychee Jelly for Bubble Tea - Easy Homemade Recipe for Lychee Milk Tea
    Jump to:
    • ❓What is jelly boba
    • ❓What is lychee fruit
    • ❤️Why you will love this recipe
    • 📋Ingredients
    • 🧾Substitution and Variations
    • 👩‍🍳How to Make
    • 🍽️Serving & storage
    • 💡Expert Tips
    • 💭FAQs
    • ❤️More Recipes You Will Love
    • 📖Recipe

    ❓What is jelly boba

    Most commonly used boba balls for bubble teas are tapioca pearls or tapioca balls. These are made with tapioca starch and shaped into round balls. These boba pearls are then cooked into chewy pearls and mixed with brown sugar syrup and added to milk teas.

    Jelly bobas, on the other hand are made with jelly powder or agar agar powder. They have a chewy texture (although not as chewy as the tapioca pearls) and are often cut into cubes and added to milk teas and fruit teas.

    Jelly boba can also be combined with tapioca pearls or nata de coco to make a fun delicious add-on for these pearl teas. 

    ❓What is lychee fruit

    • Lychees are tropical fruits commonly found in Southeast Asia. They are small and round, almost the size of strawberries. The fruits are red in color when ripe and have a thin coarse skin that is inedible. On the inside is the edible flesh and at the core of each fruit is a long brown seed, also inedible.
    • Lychee flesh is sweet and juicy and has a slight hint of citrus taste. The sweet scent of lychee and its sweet fragrant taste is a distinct feature of these fruits.
    • Lychees are not only great to be eaten plain as fresh fruit, they are great for baking and desserts. These fruits are commonly used in many Asian desserts and drinks (lychee jelly, lychee syrup, lychee tea, lychee lemonade, lychee green tea, lychee ice cream).
    • While it may be difficult to find fresh lychees, these fruits are easily available, canned. You can find canned lychees (in syrup) in most Asian supermarket or grocery store.

    ❤️Why you will love this recipe

    • This fruit bubble tea is an easy drink to make and uses fairly simple ingredients.
    • You get to learn how to make your own beverage with easy to follow steps.
    • The recipe makes lovely black tea based fruit tea, filled with delicious lychee jelly boba. When served with ice cubes, it makes an excellent drink on a hot summer day. 
    • The lychee jelly is a great variation for tapioca pearls in milk teas and can be used in other drinks too.
    • The sweet fragrant taste of the lychees in the milk tea makes this a great variation to classic milk tea recipe with brown sugar pearls.

    Like this post on how to make lychee jelly for bubble tea? Here are my other posts you might want to check out:

    • Lychee Ice Cream
    • Lychee Lemonade - Easy Lemon Lychee Iced Drink
    • Pandan Milk Tea - Easy Homemade Bubble Tea Recipe
    • Lychee Simple Syrup - Easy Homemade Recipe from Scratch
    • Lychee Jelly - Easy Agar Agar Recipe with Fruits (A Jelly Cake)
    • Grass Jelly Milk Tea - Easy Bubble Tea Recipe
    • Coconut Jelly with Gula Melaka

    📋Ingredients

    Lychee jelly

    • Konnyaku jelly powder - this is similar to agar agar jelly except that it has a more chewy texture.
    • Lychee fruits (canned) - Canned lychees are preferred as their taste is consistent and the jelly requires the lychee infused syrup from the can.
    • Lychee syrup (from the canned lychees)
    • White sugar - to sweeten the jelly. Use white sugar. Both coarse sugar or granulated sugar will work for this recipe.
    • Water - use filtered water.

    Milk tea

    • Black tea bags - Any type of black tea can be used. I prefer to use tea bags as they do not require to be strained unlike loose leaf tea.
    • Water -use filtered water.
    • White sugar - sweetens the tea. Both coarse sugar or granulated sugar will work for this recipe.
    • Milk - use whole milk for a creamy milk tea.

    *Refer to the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and exact quantities. For best results, use a digital kitchen scale where applicable*

    🧾Substitution and Variations

    • Konnyaku jelly powder can be substituted with agar agar powder. Use exact same quantity as the konnyaku jelly powder.
    • Tea bags can be replaced with loose tea leaves. Use 1 teaspoon of loose tea for each tea bag.
    • White sugar for making the milk tea can be replaced with brown sugar.
    • Whole milk can be substituted with low fat milk or plant based milks like almond milk or oat milk. You can also use non-dairy creamers to make your tea. Alternatively, you can also milk made with milk powder.

    This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you do try, please let me know in the comments section below!

    👩‍🍳How to Make

    Making the lychee jelly boba

    A poster of 6 images showing how to make lychee jelly.
    Making lychee boba with jelly
    1. Mix jelly powder with the sugar. Set aside.
    2. Add the lychees into the food processor.
    3. Add water and lychee syrup from the can.
    4. Blend until the lychees are smooth. Transfer the lychee juice into a medium sized pot. Turn on the heat to low.
    5. Add the sugar and jelly powder mix. Stir to disperse the mix into the liquid. Let it cook over low to medium heat until the sugar and jelly powder is all dissolved. Continue cooking the jelly on medium heat until the jelly solution comes to a rolling boil. This will ensure the jelly is completely dissolved.
    6. Turn of the heat and pour the cooked jelly solution into a shallow tin or tray. Let the jelly cool slightly before placing it in the fridge to set completely.

    Making the lychee milk tea

    A poster of 6 images showing how to make milk tea.
    1. Pour water into a small pot.
    2. Turn on the heat to medium and let the water come to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the black tea bags.
    3. Cover and let the tea steep for 3 minutes.
    4. Remove the lid, and remove the tea bags. Squeeze the tea for the tea bags with a back of a spoon and discard the bags.
    5. Add the tea to milk. Stir to mix.
    6. Add sugar to the milk tea. Stir to dissolve.

    Cutting the jelly boba

    A poster of 6 images showing how to cut jelly into boba.

    Once the jelly boba is set (it should be firm when you press it with your finger), you can cut it to make the boba.

    To transfer the jelly out onto a cutting board, loosen the sides with a palette knife. It may be difficult to transfer the jelly out even by turning the tray upside down and tapping it. Here is how I do it:

    1. Use a spatula to loosen the sides of the jelly.
    2. Cut the jelly into half.
    3. Turn it over onto a large plate. If it does not drop, lift the tray slightly and try to push the jelly out with your fingers. Do it gently to avoid breaking the jelly.
    4. Place the jelly onto a cutting board. Cut the jelly into strips making sure the width of the strips can pass through your bubble tea straws. At the same time, try not to cut the jelly cubes too small as you want them to be noticeable in your bubble tea.
    5. Next, cut the strips into small cubes, again, making sure the width is consistent.
    6. Transfer the cubed jelly boba into a bowl. Chill in the fridge until ready to assemble the tea.

    Assembling the lychee jelly boba tea (lychee bubble tea)

    A poster of 2 images showing how to assemble lychee milk tea.
    1. Add the lychee jelly boba into drinking glass.
    2. Top with the prepared milk tea. Add ice cubes if desired and serve.
    Top view of 2 glass of milk tea with lychee jelly boba.
    How to Make Lychee Jelly for Bubble Tea - Easy Lychee Fruit Tea Recipe

    🍽️Serving & storage

    • The lychee jelly requires at least one to two hours of chilling time to set completely. It can be used immediately after that or kept refrigerated for a good 4 to 5 days. Jelly should be kept in covered container.
    • Once assembled into the lychee milk tea, the drink is best consumed within 2 days. Keep the tea frigerated until serving time.

    💡Expert Tips

    • Mixing the jelly powder and sugar before adding to the liquid will help avoid the jelly powder from clumping.
    • When cooking the jelly, it is very important to make sure the jelly powder is completely dissolved or else the jelly will not set properly. One way to ensure this is to cook the jelly to a rolling boil point over medium heat.
    • Jelly sets quicker in lower temperatures, hence if you want to set the lychee jelly quickly, refrigerating it will help.
    • When cutting the jelly, make sure the cubes are small enough to pass through a bubble tea straw. For that purpose and for easy cutting of the jelly, the jelly is best poured into a shallow tray or tin. I used a 9 inches square cake tin to pour my jelly. That way, the jelly was thin enough that I need not slice it into half horizontally before cutting it into cubes.

    💭FAQs

    What are the best lychee flavor pairs?

    Lychee pairs well with most teas and makes among the best fruity bubble teas. You can substitute the milk tea in this recipe with green tea or jasmine tea or other fruit based tea drinks. These teas make great options for lychee jelly boba.

    ❤️More Recipes You Will Love

    • Lychee syrup in a bottle.
      Lychee Syrup (Easy Homemade Recipe from Scratch)
    • Lychee ice cream scoops in a glass bowl and decorated with mint leaves.
      Lychee Ice Cream Recipe - Creamy and Luscious (How to Make)
    • Lychee jelly garnished with rosemary stalks.
      Lychee Jelly
    • A cup of frothy milk tea.
      How to Make Tea with Milk Powder (Milk Powder Tea)

    Do you like this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐rating in the recipe card below and consider a review further down this page. I would love to hear from you. Thank you!

    📖Recipe

    2 glasses of milk tea with jelly boba.

    How to Make Lychee Jelly for Bubble Tea

    Learn how to make lychee jelly for bubble tea with this easy homemade recipe. It's easy and makes great boba option for fruit and milk teas.
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: Asian
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Jelly chilling time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes
    Yield: 4 glasses
    Author: Priya Maha
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Metric - US Customary

    For best results, use the metrics measurements. US customary measurements have not been tested and are only meant for guide.

    Ingredients

    Milk Tea

    • 600 ml water
    • 500 ml whole milk
    • 3 black tea bags
    • 4 tablespoon white sugar

    Lychee Jelly

    • 5 g konnyaku jelly powder
    • 200 ml lychee syrup (from the lychee can)
    • 200 ml water
    • 75 g white sugar
    • 10 lychees (canned)
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    Making the lychee jelly for boba

    • Mix jelly powder with the sugar. Stir well and set aside.
    • Add the lychees into the food processor.
    • Add water and lychee syrup from the can.
    • Blend until the lychees are smooth. Transfer the lychee juice into a medium sized saucepan.
    • Add the sugar and jelly powder mix into the lychee juice. Stir to disperse the mix into the liquid. Turn on the heat and let the solution cook over medium heat until the sugar and jelly powder is all dissolved. Keep stirring to avoid the jelly powder from clumping at the bottom of the pan.
    • Let the jelly cook until it reaches a rolling boil point. Turn off the heat.
    • Pour the cooked jelly solution into a shallow 9 inches square tin or tray. Let the jelly cool slightly before placing it in the fridge to set completely (for at least one to two hours).

    Making the milk tea

    • Pour water into a small saucepan.
    • Turn on the heat to medium and let the water come to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the black tea bags.
    • Cover and let the tea steep in the hot water for 3 minutes.
    • Remove the lid, and remove the tea bags. Squeeze the tea from the tea bags with a back of a spoon and discard the bags.
    • Measure milk into a mixing glass. Add the tea to the milk.
    • Add sugar to the milk tea. Stir to dissolve.

    Cutting the jelly boba

    • Once the jelly boba is set (it should be firm when you press it with your finger), you can cut it to make the boba.
    • Loosen the sides of the jelly with a palette knife. Place a large plate on the tray and turn it over.
    • If it does not drop out onto the plate, lift the tray and cut the jelly into half, in the tin. And then place the plate on top and turn it over. If it still does not fall out onto the plate, lift the tin slightly and try to push the sides of the jelly away from the tin. Do it gently to avoid breaking the jelly. The air pocket created between the jelly and the tin should help release the jelly from the tray.
    • Place the jelly onto a cutting board. Cut it into strips, making sure the width of the strips can pass through your bubble tea straws. At the same time, try not to cut the jelly cubes too small as you want them to be noticeable in your bubble tea.
    • Next, cut the strips into small cubes, again, making sure the width is consistent.
    • Transfer the cubed jelly boba into a bowl. Chill in the fridge until ready to assemble the tea.

    Assembling the lychee boba tea (Lychee bubble tea)

    • Add the lychee jelly boba into drinking glass.
    • Top with the prepared milk tea. Add ice cubes if desired and serve.

    Notes

    • Mixing the jelly powder and sugar before adding to the liquid will help avoid the jelly powder from clumping.
    • When cooking the jelly, it is very important to make sure the jelly powder is completely dissolved or else the jelly will not set properly. One way to ensure this is to cook the jelly to a rolling boil point over medium heat.
    • Jelly sets quicker in lower temperatures, hence if you want to set the lychee jelly quickly, refrigerating it will help.
    • When cutting the jelly, make sure the cubes are small enough to pass through a bubble tea straw. For that purpose and for easy cutting of the jelly, the jelly is best poured into a shallow tray or tin. I used a 9 inches square cake tin to pour my jelly. That way, the jelly was thin enough that I need not slice it into half horizontally before cutting it into cubes.
     

    Variation

    • Konnyaku jelly powder can be substituted with agar agar powder. Use exact same quantity as the konnyaku jelly powder.
    • Tea bags can be replaced with loose tea. Use 1 teaspoon of loose tea for each tea bag.
    • White sugar for making the milk tea can be replaced with brown sugar.
    • Whole milk can be substituted with low fat milk or plant based milks like almond milk or oat milk. You can also use non dairy creamer to make your tea. Alternatively, you can also milk made with milk powder.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 397.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 4.5g | Fat: 4.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Cholesterol: 15.5mg | Sodium: 79.1mg | Potassium: 269.7mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 72.2g | Vitamin A: 208.8IU | Vitamin C: 17.9mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 0.4mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @decorated_treats or tag #decoratedtreats!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. amy

      August 24, 2022 at 3:16 pm

      4 stars
      Do we need to use agar agar or konnyaku based jelly powder or can we use normal beef gelatine jelly powders?

      Reply
      • Priya Maha

        August 24, 2022 at 10:07 pm

        I have not tried this with gelatin, so I am not sure how it will turn out. Both agar agar powder and konnyaku jelly powder will work for this recipe.

        Reply
    4.75 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Two glasses of iced tea with bubble tea straws.

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