Homemade Popping Boba
Learn how to make homemade popping boba using fruit juice, sodium alginate, and calcium lactate with step-by-step instructions.
- Author: Souzan
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage Topping
- Method: Spherification
- Cuisine: Modern Fusion
- Diet: Vegan
- 1 cup fruit juice (strained, no pulp – mango, watermelon, lychee, etc.)
- 1–2 tablespoons sugar or sweetener (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon sodium alginate
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 teaspoon calcium lactate or calcium chloride
- Optional: gel food coloring or flavor extract
- In a blender, combine the strained juice, sodium alginate, and sweetener. Blend until smooth. Let sit for 15–30 minutes to remove air bubbles.
- In a separate bowl, dissolve calcium lactate in cold water to create the calcium bath.
- Using a dropper or squeeze bottle, slowly drip the juice mixture into the calcium bath. Let each pearl form and sit for 30–60 seconds.
- Remove the pearls using a strainer and rinse them in cold water to stop the gelling process.
- Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Use filtered water for best results.
- Don’t overcrowd the calcium bath; work in small batches.
- The longer the pearls sit in the bath, the thicker the shell becomes.
- Experiment with different fruit juices and natural extracts for variety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 75
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 15mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: homemade popping boba, fruit juice boba, spherification recipe, DIY boba pearls