While tapioca is the most common option, there are plenty of other jellies or gels that are used just as often and have gained a lot of traction.
One of the most popular alternate boba fillings is aloe jelly which is delicious and chewy.
You might know aloe vera for how it is often used for its benefits for your health with some of the most common being how it helps with burns, acne, and aiding with digestion.
But now a recent way of consuming aloe is using aloe jelly in drinks. This is seen to be a healthier and more refreshing alternative to boba.
While it can be hard to find aloe jelly which is made for consumption in boba outside of a boba shop, it is quite simple to make yourself.
So, while you could find this pre-packaged if you are willing to look hard enough, it will likely save you some money if you transform some aloe into aloe jelly using our guide.
If you want to try making your own aloe jelly, or you are tired of paying extra to buy it pre-made, then this guide will give you all the information you need.
We have split our instructions into a simple and easy to follow step-by-step guide, so you will have no trouble transforming aloe leaves into aloe jelly. So, if you want your own homemade aloe jelly, keep reading!
Nutrition – Aloe Jelly Vs Boba
Some of the most commonly available tapioca pearls for boba are listed as being 199 calories per serving, whereas the same brand has the same sized serving of aloe jelly being just 42 calories.
This is under a quarter of the calorie content, so you can see why a lot of people are starting to go for this filling option.
Of course these calorie values can vary depending on the serving size and where you are buying, but you will struggle to find tapioca pearls that are lower in calories than aloe jelly.
Aloe jelly that is not homemade is also going to be made with fewer ingredients than tapioca pearls.
They are usually made with just aloe, sugar, and citric acid to preserve, whereas tapioca pearls often contain a lot more additives and unknown variables.
How To Make Aloe Jelly
This guide has been separated into easy to follow steps, so make sure you go through the guide beforehand so you know what you are doing!
What Will You Need?
To make one batch of aloe jelly for boba you will need between 2 and 3 large aloe leaves to get your aloe from. You’ll also need a cutting board to prepare the aloe with as well as a sharpened knife for the cutting.
Don’t forget the cool water, as well as a bowl. On top of the aloe, you also may want some sugar, syrup or honey to add some sweetness to the aloe jelly.
Cut Or Buy Your Aloe Leaves
Firstly, you will want to either cut your aloe leaves, or go and buy some. If you are lucky enough to live in a climate that permits it, you can make aloe grow in your garden, and it can often grow with very little effort.
You also do not need to put much effort into harvesting them, just snip them at the base and this cut will eventually heal.
You can also look for aloe at a plant nursery, or instead just buy them from a store. Furthermore, you may struggle to find them in smaller or even some large supermarkets, but they are more common in health stores.
It is also worth noting that you want to try to use the largest leaves possible. This makes the process a lot easier.
Wash Your Aloe Leaves
This is important whether you harvested the aloe yourself, or bought it from the store, as either way you want to get rid of the grime.
There is often a yellow liquid that oozes from the leaf that is called aloe latex and this has a very bitter taste and can cause health issues if you consume it.
You want to make sure your aloe leaf is properly washed to avoid consuming this.
Cut Off The Edges Of Your Aloe Leaf And Soak
Once you are happy with how clean your leaf is and you are sure there is no leftover aloe latex, then you want to get the leaves prepared to be handled.
It is quite common that some aloe will have spikes along the edge, so if this is the case you want to cut off the edge and then cut the rest of the leaf into smaller regular sized pieces so they will be easier to work with.
After this you just want to soak the aloe in the bowl of cool water for about a few minutes. This will get rid of any potential leftover latex, and will keep them clean.
Peel Off The Rest Of The Aloe Skin
This is one of the longer, more annoying steps, but once the aloe has finished soaking you want to remove the leftover skin of the aloe.
Ensure that there is as little slime on the leaf as possible before you move them onto a cutting board.
If you are using a knife that is sufficiently sharp, then peeling off the skin without losing too much jelly should not be that hard.
Check that there is no skin in the jelly and that your cuts are as clean as possible.
When cutting, ensure you are cutting away from you, this is because slips are easy with the slimy aloe jelly so you want to avoid any potential injuries.
Soak Your Aloe Again
After you have gotten rid of the skins then your aloe will again be slimy and quite difficult to work with, because of this we will let the aloe jelly soak in a fresh bowl of cooler water for at least a few minutes to get rid of this slime.
Dice The Aloe Gel Into Boba Shaped Size
As you would with boba, this will be drunk with the typical wide boba straw, so ensure that your aloe jelly is the right size to be able to fit through perfectly.
So because of this, cut your aloe pieces the right size for your straw. If you are unsure of how big to cut them, we recommend having your favorite boba straw to hand so you can test the size with an easy comparison.
Give The Aloe Its Last Bath
You are almost ready to enjoy your aloe jelly! Before we finish up you will want to rinse your chopped pieces of aloe using a fine strainer to get rid of any leftover slime or mess.
This will leave your small cubes of aloe looking beautiful and clean and essentially ready to eat whenever you want to!
Optional – Sweeten
While this step is optional, we do recommend trying it out so you can get your aloe jelly to taste exactly how you want it to.
You might have noticed that the aloe jelly you find in a boba shop has a more subtle sweet flavor.
However, if you do not add a sweetener to the jelly you have, it will just add texture and be a bit refreshing, this is why we recommend this step.
To get the best results, we recommend boiling your aloe in a pot with water and sugar to form syrup which will make your aloe jelly even more delicious!
Either Enjoy Now Or Store
Now if you have decided to sweeten or not, your aloe jelly is delicious and ready to eat!
We recommend pairing this aloe jelly with a fruity iced tea, or with a green tea as this is what it tastes best with since this jelly is a bit more subtle.
We do recommend that you try and eat this jelly as soon as possible otherwise it will start to lose its texture.
It is recommended to store in an airtight container in your fridge, the longer you leave it, the jelly will start to turn to liquid.
