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Homemade Popping Boba

Homemade Popping Boba

Learn how to make homemade popping boba using fruit juice, sodium alginate, and calcium lactate with step-by-step instructions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup fruit juice (strained, no pulp – mango, watermelon, lychee, etc.)
  • 12 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

Instructions

  1. In a blender, combine the strained juice, sodium alginate, and sweetener. Blend until smooth. Let sit for 15–30 minutes to remove air bubbles.
  2. In a separate bowl, dissolve calcium lactate in cold water to create the calcium bath.
  3. 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.
  4. Remove the pearls using a strainer and rinse them in cold water to stop the gelling process.
  5. 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

Keywords: homemade popping boba, fruit juice boba, spherification recipe, DIY boba pearls