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Add some fun texture and creepy appeal to your halloween cocktails and shots!
I kept trying to think of something fun and different to do for my halloween cocktails this year, and this is what I came up with : Using tapioca pearls for fun cocktails!
This instructable explains how to cook the pearls, how to color/flavor them, and ideas for using them. If you have more ideas, I'd love to hear them in the comments or on my blog!
Dot
dabbled.org
PS: Also, you can see the final ones I used at our Halloween Party HERE. I did shooters in test tubes and also had balls served in martini glasses to add to drinks.
I kept trying to think of something fun and different to do for my halloween cocktails this year, and this is what I came up with : Using tapioca pearls for fun cocktails!
This instructable explains how to cook the pearls, how to color/flavor them, and ideas for using them. If you have more ideas, I'd love to hear them in the comments or on my blog!
Dot
dabbled.org
PS: Also, you can see the final ones I used at our Halloween Party HERE. I did shooters in test tubes and also had balls served in martini glasses to add to drinks.
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Signing UpStep 1Make the tapioca pearls
Ever had Bubble Tea? It's made with large tapioca pearls, and has a really interesting look. I figured there's no reason we couldn't make some fun halloween drinks/shots/cocktails with the tapioca pearls. A trip to the local Whole Foods yielded a bag of large pearls. You can also find them online, and I would expect at Asian markets. You want large tapioca pearls - I used Reese brand. Note you have to have the pearls, not instant tapioca or anything like that. You'll likely find them near the puddings in the grocery store.
First I made a test batch with about 1/4 c of pearls-- adapting a recipe for making pearls for bubble tea:
1. The ratio should be a minimum of 7:1, water to tapioca pearls.
2. Boil water in a large pot.
3. Add in the tapioca pearls to boiling water.
4. The tapioca pearls should float in the water.
5. Boil for about 25 minutes depending on the tapioca pearl with the cover on.
6. Turn the heat off and let the tapioca sit in the water for 25 minutes.
Don't rinse, just move on to the next step.
They may not be totally clear. On my first batch following the above directions there was a spec of solid in the center, but I liked that as it gave me more of an egg look. My second batch, which these pictures are from, I forgot about them and left them in the water longer, and they were totally clear and jelly like.
You can see in the next step how many pearls that made, so adjust your amount to cook accordingly.
First I made a test batch with about 1/4 c of pearls-- adapting a recipe for making pearls for bubble tea:
1. The ratio should be a minimum of 7:1, water to tapioca pearls.
2. Boil water in a large pot.
3. Add in the tapioca pearls to boiling water.
4. The tapioca pearls should float in the water.
5. Boil for about 25 minutes depending on the tapioca pearl with the cover on.
6. Turn the heat off and let the tapioca sit in the water for 25 minutes.
Don't rinse, just move on to the next step.
They may not be totally clear. On my first batch following the above directions there was a spec of solid in the center, but I liked that as it gave me more of an egg look. My second batch, which these pictures are from, I forgot about them and left them in the water longer, and they were totally clear and jelly like.
You can see in the next step how many pearls that made, so adjust your amount to cook accordingly.
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Could you tell approximately how much alcohol was absorbed by the pearls? Because it could be useful for individuals who don't like the taste of alcohol and could have them floating in a cocktail with a low alcohol percentage, or even no alcohol, and they wouldn't taste the flavour of the alcohol as much.
To take the pinkish tint from grenadine and darken it, add a very small ammount of green food coloring. For a bottle of grenadine, that's around 2 to 3 drops PER BOTTLE. For homemade red dyed concoctions, it tends to be less than a drop of green.
It darkens and takes the pink tint from red dyed foods to make it more "blood" looking. If anyone dyes their pearls using the grenadine+green mix, i'd love to see it.
great job on the instructable! i'm love introducing bubble tea type drinks in the hopes that people will want them enough to get more shops that make them started around the country so we can all get our fix without having to go the somewhere on the east or west coast to get it! bubble teas for everyone!
Thanks for the great idea!
You can see the final ones I did for halloween HERE. I made the red balls redder by using grenadine with additional red food coloring.
No need to wait for Halloween either...
You could totally do these for a holiday party too. Make red balls, and put them in a green liqueur for a holly berry look.