Dragon Fruit Boba Pearls Recipe

Introduction

Dragon fruit boba pearls are a vibrant and delightful twist on classic tapioca pearls, offering a subtle sweetness and a beautiful pink hue. Perfect for adding a tropical flair to your favorite bubble tea or desserts, these homemade pearls are fun to make and impressively tasty.

Ingredients

• 3.5 oz (100g) red dragon fruit cubes
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 cup tapioca starch, plus extra for dusting

Instructions

1. Step 1: Blend the dragon fruit cubes and sugar together until you get a smooth puree.
2. Step 2: Pour the puree into a small pot and heat it until it boils. Once boiling, turn off the heat and add half of the tapioca starch. Stir for 6-7 seconds, then add the remaining starch.
3. Step 3: While the mixture is still hot, use a scraper or similar tool to mix the dough. Then knead it gently with your hands until warm but not fully cooled, aiming for a dough that is almost smooth.
4. Step 4: Divide the dough into four pieces and roll each into a long log shape. Pinch off small portions and roll them into round balls to form the pearls.
5. Step 5: Dust the pearls with additional tapioca starch to prevent sticking, then sift off any excess starch using a strainer.
6. Step 6: Either freeze the pearls for later use or cook them immediately:
7. Step 7: To cook on the stove, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pearls. Cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until they float to the surface, then turn off the heat, cover, and let them sit for another 10 minutes. For larger pearls, cook for 20 minutes and rest for 20 minutes.
8. Step 8: For Instant Pot cooking, add the pearls and enough water to cover them. Secure the lid, close the vent, and set to manual high pressure for 5 minutes.
9. Step 9: Optionally, soak cooked pearls in iced water and drain.
10. Step 10: Toss the pearls with simple syrup or honey to add sweetness and prevent them from sticking together.

Tips & Variations

• Use frozen dragon fruit cubes if fresh is unavailable; just thaw before blending.
• Adjust sugar amount in the puree to suit your preferred sweetness level.
• Dust hands with tapioca starch while shaping to avoid sticky fingers.
• For a colorful twist, combine dragon fruit puree with other fruit purees like mango or strawberry in the dough.

Storage

Store cooked boba pearls in simple syrup at room temperature for up to 4 hours for best texture. For longer storage, keep uncooked pearls in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat cooked pearls by briefly boiling or microwaving with a splash of water to soften.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use other types of dragon fruit?

Yes, you can use white or yellow dragon fruit, but the color of the pearls will be less vibrant compared to red dragon fruit.

How do I know when the boba pearls are fully cooked?

Cooked pearls will float to the surface and have a chewy texture without any chalkiness in the center. If unsure, taste one to check its consistency before removing from heat.

Dragon Fruit Boba Pearls Recipe

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4.6 from 87 reviews

This vibrant Dragon Fruit Boba Pearls recipe transforms fresh red dragon fruit into chewy, colorful tapioca pearls perfect for bubble teas and desserts. The recipe uses a simple combination of dragon fruit puree, sugar, and tapioca starch to create a naturally flavored and visually stunning treat. Cooked either on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot, these pearls can be enjoyed immediately or frozen for later use.

• Author: Lily
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: Approximately 30–40 large boba pearls 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Asian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dragon Fruit Mixture

• 3.5 oz (100g) red dragon fruit cubes
• 2 tbsp sugar

Dough

• 1 cup tapioca starch
• Additional tapioca starch for dusting

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dragon Fruit Puree: Blend the red dragon fruit cubes with sugar until the mixture becomes smooth and well combined, creating a vibrant purple puree.
2. Heat the Puree and Combine with Starch: Pour the dragon fruit puree into a small pot and heat it until it reaches boiling. Turn off the heat, then add half of the tapioca starch and mix continuously for 6-7 seconds. Add the remaining starch and mix thoroughly to form a dough.
3. Knead the Dough: While the dough is still warm but not hot, use a scraper or mixing tool to stir. Then knead it gently by hand until the dough becomes nearly smooth and pliable.
4. Shape the Pearls: Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each piece into a long log. Pinch small portions from each log and roll them between your palms to form small round balls (boba pearls). Dust the pearls generously with additional tapioca starch to prevent sticking, then sift off any excess starch using a strainer.
5. Cook the Pearls: You can either freeze the uncooked pearls for later or cook them immediately. To cook on the stovetop, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, then add the boba pearls. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until they float to the surface. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid, and let them sit for an additional 10 minutes to finish cooking. For larger pearls, increase cooking time to 20 minutes and resting time to 20 minutes. Alternatively, use an Instant Pot by adding boba pearls and water, sealing the lid, and locking the vent. Set to manual high pressure for 5 minutes.
6. Optional Soak and Sweeten: After cooking, optionally soak the pearls in iced water to enhance texture and then drain. Finally, toss the pearls in simple syrup or honey to sweeten before serving.

Notes

• Freezing the shaped but uncooked pearls helps store them for future use.
• Adjust cooking times for larger or smaller sized pearls as needed.
• Use simple syrup or honey to add sweetness and prevent the pearls from sticking together after cooking.
• Always dust boba pearls with tapioca starch to avoid them sticking while shaping and before cooking.
• Cooked boba pearls are best consumed fresh but can be refrigerated for a day or two.

Keywords: Dragon fruit boba, tapioca pearls, bubble tea pearls, homemade boba, dragon fruit dessert