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Ever tried Brown Sugar Boba Ice Cream Bars? This Asian frozen dessert has been a viral sensation around the world recently. It has a delicious combination of sweet, creamy ice cream and soft, chewy bubble tea pearls. Here is an easy recipe showing you how to make this special treat at home, rivaling the popular Boba popsicles from Shao Mei.
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5 from 2 votes

Boba Ice Cream Recipe (+VIDEO)

Ever tried Brown Sugar Boba Ice Cream Bars? This Asian frozen dessert has been a viral sensation around the world recently. It has a delicious combination of sweet, creamy ice cream and soft, chewy bubble tea pearls.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Boba Ice Cream, Boba Ice Cream Bars, Brown Sugar Boba Ice Cream Bars
Servings: 10 Bars
Author: Izzy

Ingredients

For the Brown Sugar Syrup

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (use dark brown sugar if you prefer the dark-color marbling)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoon water

For Boba Pearls

  • 1 cup glutinous rice flour (regular glutinous flour with green text on the package, plus more for dusting)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (plus 1/4 cup to coat the cooked boba)
  • 1/3 cup boiling water

For the Ice Cream

  • 1 ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup condensed milk

Instructions

Prepare Brown Sugar Syrup

  • Add 3/4 cup brown sugar and water to a saucepan and quickly stir everything together. Cook on medium-high until the water boils and the sugar completely dissolves.
  • Mix the cornstarch with water and add the slurry to the saucepan. Cook until it thickens. (Don’t taste as it’ll be very hot.)
  • Remove the saucepan from heat and let the brown sugar syrup cool down. Transfer the syrup to a squeeze bottle and set aside.

Make Boba Pearls

  • Whisk together glutinous rice flour and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.
  • Slowly add boiling water and mix with a spatula until everything is combined. (Don’t worry if your dough is not smooth yet.)
  • Transfer the dough to a flat surface and knead until a spongy dough forms, and it’s soft and sticky.
  • In a large baking sheet, sprinkle more glutinous rice.
  • Pinch off a piece of dough and roll it into a small ball, about 1/4 inch in diameter. Place the finished balls onto the baking sheet. Repeat the process for the rest of the dough. Sprinkle more glutinous rice on top.
  • Bring about 4 cups of water to boil in a medium pot.
  • Add the balls to the pot (try to dust off the extra flour). Cook for about 2-3 minutes until they float to the top and become soft.
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove the pearls from the hot water.
  • In a medium-large skillet, add 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and add the cooked pearls immediately. Stir constantly until the sugar is caramelized and the pearls are evenly coated. Transfer to a flat plate and set aside.

Make the Ice Cream

  • In a large bowl beat the heavy cream until soft peaks have formed.
  • Add condensed milk, continue beating until everything’s well combined. (Don’t over beat the mixture).

Make Boba Ice Cream Bars

  • Add the pearls into the ice cream and mix gently until the Boba pearls are evenly distributed.
  • Fill a large zip-top bag with the mixture. Cut the tip of the bag off at the 1/2-inch mark.
  • Squeeze the brown sugar syrup into the popsicle mold using a squeeze bottle. Make sure to squeeze at the top so that the syrup won’t accumulate at the bottom.
  • Squeeze the ice cream mixture into the mold. Make sure to tap the mold on the counter several times in order to remove bubbles. (This is a very important step, otherwise, your bars will have holes in them).
  • Place the ice cream bars into the freezer and let them freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Unmold Boba Popsicles

  • Prepare a bowl or container of warm water. (The bowl should be as tall as the mold)
  • Remove the mold from the freezer. Dip the mold into the water briefly (20-30 seconds.)
  • Remove the bars from the mold. Serve and enjoy immediately.

Video

Notes

  • To add the milk tea flavor, you’ll need to simmer the heavy cream with the tea bag in a saucepan. Then let it chill before mixing with condensed milk.
  • I recommend using dark brown sugar for the better flavour and better marbling. 

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 633IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg