Tapioca Pudding

Every time I pass by Kozy Shack tapioca pudding (yes, they make tapioca as well as rice pudding) in the store I think- I want to buy some.  But I don't because it is too sweet for me, kind of expensive and I have a boatload of tapioca at home, waiting for me to cook it up.  This has been going on for about a year.  Seriously.  When I do finally make it, I always double it because it goes really fast in our house.  


Tapioca Pudding
A really cream delicious treat.  A half cup serving is about 105 calories. Enjoy with fruit for a delicious dessert.
Printable here.

1 cup small pearl tapioca
4 cups water
1 cup sugar 
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 yolks*
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups milk, 2%

Soak 1 cup of small pearl tapioca in water overnight. 

Ladle out any extra water, do not drain because you will lose starch.  You need the starch to help thicken your pudding.

Pour into large pot.  Add 5 cups of milk and the salt.  Stir regularly over a medium heat.  Meanwhile, whisk eggs with sugar until the yellow lightens.  Set aside. Towards the end continue to stir so it does not burn on the bottom.  When it begins to boil, temper the eggs. Pour a ladle of the hot tapioca mixture into the eggs, whisk quickly.  Then stir into the large pot of tapioca. Simmer for five minutes**.

Mix in vanilla. If you put the vanilla in while cooking it will lose some of its flavor during the cooking process. Pour tapioca into ramekins or a large bowl.  Cover with plastic or place lids on top. This will minimize the 'skin' it gets as it cools. 

Notes:

I like to pour it into jelly jars.  I place the lids on right away. This way I do not have to put plastic on it.  Though my one daughter likes the 'skin' on top.

*Many people beat the egg whites until peaks form and fold it into the tapioca at the end of the cooking time.  I haven't tried this but if you have let me know what you think of egg whites vs. no egg whites.

**Mine set up long before the five minutes.  I went ahead and turned it off and it set up perfectly.  So certainly if you see it thicken go ahead and turn it off.  It definitely will set up a lot as it cools.