Tapioca Pudding

By Caroline Cummins, from the Culinate Kitchen collection

Introduction

A children’s classic, this soft dessert can be flavored in a variety of different ways. You can use any kind of milk, but whole milk tastes best.

Ingredients

Steps

1. Put the tapioca pearls into a saucepan and pour the hot water over them. Swirl to distribute the water evenly. (If using the vanilla bean, stir in all the seeds as well as the chunks of pod.) Let soak for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on pearl size, until the pearls have visibly swelled and softened.
2. Stir in the milk, egg, sugar, and salt. Stirring frequently, cook the pudding over medium-low heat until the pearls have become mostly translucent and the mixture has thickened considerably. Remove from heat. If using vanilla extract, stir in the extract.
3. Scrape the pudding into a single large dish or individual serving bowls. Serve warm or chilled. Top with fresh soft fruit, such as berries, bananas, or peaches, if desired.

Notes

For adults, try stirring in a slug of brandy at the end before pouring the pudding into bowls.

For an Indian-flavored dessert, replace the vanilla bean with 8 green cardamom pods.

For a tropical treat, use 1 cup milk and 1 cup coconut milk. Add shredded coconut if desired.

You can use instant tapioca if necessary; just omit the water-soaking stage.

This content is from the Culinate Kitchen collection.