When the winter doldrums start to get the better of me, I always turn to comfort food. With my new whole foods initiative, sometimes that means being inventive in the kitchen. I found this variation on an old favorite at the Moms For Safe Food Blog, and last week when I was stuck at home with snow flurrying outside and a sick child on my couch, I decided to give tapioca pudding a whirl.
First I assembled my ingredients:
Then combine the tapioca, milk and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
Stir till it comes to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, adding the sugar gradually.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl. Then pour some of the hot tapioca mixture into the bowl and mix, to temper the eggs.
Return the eggs to the pan with the tapioca and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and stir several more minutes at a low simmer, stirring constantly until you get a nice thick pudding consistency.
Cool for 15 minutes and try not to sneak a taste. Then add the vanilla and nutmeg. (I couldn’t find my nutmeg the first time I made this, but I used it the second time, and it really does add a nice depth of flavor – reminds me of eggnog.)
Then I poured it in a bowl and set it in the fridge while I licked that saucepan clean.
- 1/2 cup organic small pearl tapioca
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar or sucanat
- 1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- Combine the tapioca, milk and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir till it comes to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, adding the sugar gradually.
- Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl. Then pour some of the hot tapioca mixture into the bowl and mix, to temper the eggs.
- Return the eggs to the pan with the tapioca and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat and stir several more minutes at a low simmer, stirring constantly until you get a nice thick pudding consistency.
- Cool for 15 minutes and try not to sneak a taste. Then add the vanilla and nutmeg.
- Pour it into a bowl and set it in the fridge for several hours until it is set.
This looks really good and I LOVE how you put it in a nice glass….we eat with our eyes first! It’s also great that when you can, you have your children help you — a great way to spend time together and for them to get comfortable in the kitchen and learn about real food.
I personally don’t like tapioca, but I am sure there are lots out there that would love it, my Mom included. Enjoy your pudding 🙂
Now if it was chocolate………I’d be all over that!
Well, I have a recipe for that too! 🙂 I’ll have to post it next time.
My hubby loves tapioca. My kids do not, though.
It looks really good. I’ve never had tapioca that didn’t come in a box of powdered pudding. Maybe I’ll give this a try.
Just popping on to say thank you for the blog header info and for visiting my blog. I couldn’t believe how simple it was following your instructions!! I looked on quite a few websites before I found yours and every one of them made it so much more complicated than it needed to be.
Thanks again.
Hugs,
Caryn xxx
I love tapioca pudding and have been looking for a pearl tapioca recipe forever. All I ever found was using that minute tapioca stuff. Thanks!
I need to learn to be more patient in the kitchen and let my daughter help me more. Usually I just want her out of my way. I don’t really like that about myself.
True confessions: I feel the same way. It’s a labor of love. 🙂
I’m not a big fan of Tapioca but my kids might like this recipe. I remember my brother always wanted Tapioca when we were kids. I would kindly pass. Thanks for the recipe though.
I think I’ll have to try this. I’ve made many varieties of rice pudding over the past few years, but I’ve never attempted tapioca; I have horrible memories of the Jello version from when I was kid. Your pictures and description make me think I’ve been avoiding the homemade version for the wrong reasons.
Okay, okay, it must be time for glasses. When I saw the first glass there I thought your comfort food was mac and cheese in a fancy glass.. oops!!
I have never been a huge fan of tapioca, but have to admit, this sounds and looks really good. Will have to give it a try this weekend. Thanks!