1/2 cup small pearl tapioca
(it comes in a box, we
use Island Tapioca brand)
3 cups whole milk (or skim milk with cream added)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
Combine tapioca, milk, and salt in 1 1/2 quart pan
on medium high heat. Stir until boiling. Simmer 5 minutes,
uncovered at the lowest possible heat, adding sugar
gradually. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Mix in some
of the hot tapioca very slowly to equalize the temperature
of the two mixtures (to avoid curdling). Return eggs
to pan with tapioca. Bring to a boil. Stir 3 minutes
more over lowest possible heat. Stir constantly. You
may cook a little longer than 3 minutes if needed to
get to a nice thick pudding consistency. Cool 15 minutes.
Add vanilla. Serve either warm or chilled.
If you want to make a more light and fluffy, but still
rich, tapioca pudding, separate the eggs. Use the egg
yolks to stir in first to the pan with the tapioca.
Once the pudding has become nice and thick, beat the
egg whites in a separate bowl to soft peaks. Remove
the pan of tapioca pudding from the stove, fold in the
beaten egg whites into the pudding.
Also, it pays to check the instructions on the box
or bag of tapioca pearls that you have. The Island Tapioca
I used in this recipe doesn't require that you soak
the tapioca pearls before cooking. Another brand that
I have used requires that you soak the pearls overnight.
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Thanks
