Posted by May Gem Tan
on November 11, 2026
Plum Intended starts in a saucepan and ends in your favourite glass. Ripe plum, black tea and lemon meet Blue Grape tea and Lychee popping boba in this autumn mocktail.
There are two short preparations: a cooked plum base and a pot of black tea. Cool both before mixing. The recipe measures the plum after straining, which helps you make a useful comparison when you try a different variety next time.
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What goes into the plum base?
Use ripe plums, remove the stones and weigh 150 g of the prepared fruit. The base also contains water and sugar. Its yield depends on the fruit and how much passes through your sieve, so measure 40 ml of the finished base for one glass.
Black tea adds another flavour alongside the Blue Grape concentrate. Use a plain black tea bag, brew for the stated time and remove it before cooling. Leaving the bag in while the tea cools changes the strength.
Plum Intended recipe
1 drink | 190 ml before ice, boba and garnish | 350 ml glass
Estimated: 20 minutes, plus cooling.
You will need: Small pan, kettle, heatproof jug, spoon, fork, fine sieve, scales and knife.
Ingredients for one drink
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20 ml Tempo Blue Grape Tea Concentrate
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120 ml cooled black tea, made below
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40 ml cooled plum base, made below
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10 ml fresh lemon juice
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25 g drained Lychee popping boba
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60 g ice cubes
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1 thin plum slice and lemon peel, optional
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Tea: 1 bag, about 2 g, and 200 ml boiling water
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Plum base: 150 g stoned ripe plum, 60 ml water and 15 g sugar
How to make it
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Brew the black tea for 3 minutes. Remove the bag, cool fully and measure 120 ml.
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Simmer the chopped plum, water and sugar gently for 8 minutes until soft, adding a splash of water if it catches. Mash and press through a fine sieve. Cool and measure 40 ml of the smooth base.
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Mix the tea, plum base, concentrate and lemon juice. Put boba and ice in the glass, pour in the mixture and garnish if using. Serve.
Separate Blue Grape can variation
1 drink | 260 ml before ice and boba | 450 ml glass. Use this complete version in place of the concentrate recipe.
Ingredients for the can version
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150 ml liquid tea from a chilled Tempo Blue Grape can
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60 ml cooled black tea, prepared as above
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40 ml cooled plum base, prepared as above
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10 ml fresh lemon juice
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25 g Lychee boba from the same can
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60 g ice cubes
How to make the can version
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Prepare the tea and plum base using the main recipe. Cool fully.
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Separate and measure the tea and boba from the can. Stir the measured can tea, black tea, plum base and lemon together.
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Put boba and ice in the glass, pour in the mixture and serve.
Do not add the main recipe’s concentrate or dilution water. Still use the brewed tea and any fruit base listed in this can variation. Follow the can label for any remaining contents.
Make it your way
For a brighter lemon finish, use 15 ml lemon and 115 ml black tea in the concentrate recipe. For more plum, use 50 ml plum base and 110 ml black tea. Keep the concentrate and boba amounts unchanged. Make one adjustment at a time.
Can I use plum jam instead?
Plum jam has a different balance of fruit and sugar, so it is not a direct replacement for this cooked base. Use the measured fruit preparation for your first glass. If you experiment with jam later, tell us the brand and amount.
How do I make four glasses?
For four concentrate serves, mix 80 ml Blue Grape concentrate, 480 ml cooled black tea, 160 ml strained plum base and 40 ml lemon juice. Prepare more plum base if your first batch yields less than 160 ml. Divide the 760 ml mixture between four glasses, each with 25 g boba and 60 g ice.
Why does my drink look different from the picture?
The artwork is an illustrated serving idea. Plum skin colour, ripeness and tea strength can change the actual shade and texture. A fine sieve removes larger pieces; a gentle stir before pouring brings the mixture together again.
What changes in the can version?
The can recipe uses prepared Blue Grape tea and its Lychee boba. It still needs the black tea and plum base, but their quantities differ from the concentrate recipe. Follow one complete version rather than combining the two.
Check ingredient labels for your own dietary needs. Serve the finished drink straight away and follow product storage instructions for anything left over.
Shop the recipe
Choose Tempo Blue Grape Tea Concentrate for the main recipe and source Lychee popping boba separately. For the separate can version, use the prepared tea and Lychee boba from a Tempo Blue Grape can.
Tempo Blue Grape Tea Concentrate
Blue Grape tea cans with Lychee boba
Your glass, your say
Tried Plum Intended? Send us your rating out of five and tell us whether you would make it again. Include the recipe name, the version you used and any changes you made with the amounts.
Did your plums need more lemon, or was the first glass your favourite?
Email your feedback to hello@tempoteabar.com. Share a photo on Instagram and tag @tempoteabar too. We’d love to see your version.
