Name: Easy Tapioca Pudding
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Small Pearl Tapioca: These are the tiny, opaque white spheres that will magically transform into translucent, chewy pearls. Do not use instant or quick-cooking tapioca, as they will not yield the same delightful texture. The small pearls require a brief soaking period to rehydrate.; 3 cups Whole Milk: The foundation of our pudding’s creaminess. Whole milk provides the richness and fat content necessary for a truly luscious texture. You can experiment with lower-fat milks, but the result will be less decadent.; 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar (plus 2 tablespoons, divided): The primary sweetener. We use 1/2 cup in the main cooking process and reserve 2 tablespoons to mix with the egg yolks, which helps prevent them from scrambling when tempered. Adjust to your preferred sweetness level.; 1/4 teaspoon Salt: A crucial ingredient in sweet dishes, salt enhances the other flavors and balances the sweetness, making the vanilla and milk notes shine.; 2 Large Egg Yolks: These add richness, color, and contribute to the pudding’s smooth, custardy consistency. Using only yolks, rather than whole eggs, results in a silkier texture.; 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract: The aromatic heart of the pudding. Use good quality pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. This is added off the heat to preserve its delicate notes.; Optional: 1/4 cup Heavy Cream: For an even richer, more luxurious pudding, you can stir in a bit of heavy cream at the end with the vanilla. This is entirely optional but elevates the decadence.

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup Small Pearl Tapioca: These are the tiny, opaque white spheres that will magically transform into translucent, chewy pearls. Do not use instant or quick-cooking tapioca, as they will not yield the same delightful texture. The small pearls require a brief soaking period to rehydrate.
3 cups Whole Milk: The foundation of our pudding’s creaminess. Whole milk provides the richness and fat content necessary for a truly luscious texture. You can experiment with lower-fat milks, but the result will be less decadent.
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar (plus 2 tablespoons, divided): The primary sweetener. We use 1/2 cup in the main cooking process and reserve 2 tablespoons to mix with the egg yolks, which helps prevent them from scrambling when tempered. Adjust to your preferred sweetness level.
1/4 teaspoon Salt: A crucial ingredient in sweet dishes, salt enhances the other flavors and balances the sweetness, making the vanilla and milk notes shine.
2 Large Egg Yolks: These add richness, color, and contribute to the pudding’s smooth, custardy consistency. Using only yolks, rather than whole eggs, results in a silkier texture.
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract: The aromatic heart of the pudding. Use good quality pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. This is added off the heat to preserve its delicate notes.
Optional: 1/4 cup Heavy Cream: For an even richer, more luxurious pudding, you can stir in a bit of heavy cream at the end with the vanilla. This is entirely optional but elevates the decadence.

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Instructions

Soak the Tapioca: In a medium saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup of small pearl tapioca with 1 cup of the whole milk. Stir well and let it soak for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour. This step is crucial for rehydrating the pearls, ensuring they cook evenly and become tender. You’ll notice them plump up slightly.
Prepare the Egg Yolks: While the tapioca is soaking, in a small bowl, whisk together the 2 large egg yolks with the reserved 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar until well combined and slightly lightened in color. Set aside. Mixing sugar with the yolks helps to protect them from curdling when you temper them later.
Combine Ingredients: To the saucepan with the soaked tapioca and milk, add the remaining 2 cups of whole milk, the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, and the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir everything together to combine.
Cook the Pudding: Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently to prevent the tapioca from sticking to the bottom of the pan and to ensure even cooking. Avoid a rolling boil, as this can cause the milk to scorch.
Simmer and Thicken: Once simmering, reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook, stirring very frequently (almost constantly), for about 15-25 minutes. The pudding is ready when the tapioca pearls have become mostly translucent and the mixture has noticeably thickened to a consistency similar to a thin custard. The pearls will still have a tiny opaque white dot in the center; they will become fully translucent as the pudding cools.
Temper the Eggs: This is a critical step to prevent scrambled eggs in your pudding. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Slowly ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot tapioca mixture into the bowl with the egg yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly as you pour. This gradually raises the temperature of the yolks.
Return to Pan: Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the tapioca pudding. Whisk continuously to incorporate it fully.
Cook Briefly: Return the saucepan to low heat. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the pudding thickens a bit more. Do not let it boil at this stage. You’re just looking for it to be well combined and slightly more viscous.
Add Flavoring: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. If using, this is also when you would stir in the optional 1/4 cup of heavy cream for extra richness.
Cool and Chill: Let the pudding cool at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on top. As it cools, it will continue to thicken.
Serve or Store: Once slightly cooled, you can serve the tapioca pudding warm, or transfer it to a serving bowl or individual ramekins. To prevent a skin from forming during chilling, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours, or until completely cold and set. The pudding will thicken considerably more as it chills.

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 300
Sugar: 30g
Fat: 10g
Carbohydrates: 45g
Protein: 8g