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We have tried quite a few tapioca recipes over the years, and this one has been our favorite. It has tempered eggs in it, so it is like a cross between a custard and a pudding. And because this pudding has no flour/starch in it, it can easily be frozen if you want to cook it in large batches. We've had a pretty cold snap hit this weekend and some warm tapioca sounded like the perfect mid-morning pick-me-up.
Servings: This large batch makes 6-8 servings, but can easily be halved or quartered
Time: About 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup small pearl tapioca (do not use instant tapioca)
6 cups whole milk (or substitute full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
Add tapioca and salt to the milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently with a whisk to keep the tapioca pearls from sticking to one another.
Lower the heat and continue whisking gently until the tapioca pearls have plumped up and the custard has gotten thick. Depending on the brand or type of tapioca you use, this can take between 10-30 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the sugar gradually to the mixture.
Whisk the eggs in a glass measuring cup or a bowl. Remove about a quarter cup of the hot tapioca mixture and add it to the eggs slowly, stirring while you add it to temper the eggs so they do not curdle. You want to equalize the temperature of the eggs and the tapioca mixture carefully. Add another quarter cup of the tapioca mixture, repeating the steps above.
Add the egg mixture slowly to the saucepan of tapioca. Whisk while adding it, once again to prevent the eggs from curdling.
Once the egg mixture has been thoroughly incorporated, turn the heat back on to medium/low and whisk the mixture constantly. You want to heat this carefully and evenly to thicken the custard while being careful that the custard does not stick to the bottom of the pan, and that the mixture does not boil or the eggs will curdle. Keep a very close eye on it and if you see the slightest sign that the custard might begin to boil, turn the burner off while continuing to stir. This may take around 5-10 minutes for the custard to thicken properly.
This tapioca custard has become a regular staple around our house, can be eaten cold or warm, and it makes for a filling and satisfying snack, a simple dinner desert, or a warm and sweet addition to breakfast. I like to make a big batch and have some right away, put a few servings in the fridge for the next few days, and stick a couple in the freezer.