Tapioca Pudding (Large Pearl)

Ok, now before you turn your nose up in disgust, tapioca pudding is difficult to photograph! While very unappealing, I assure you this recipe is the best tapioca I’ve ever had. It’s creamy, incredibly fluffy (thanks to the whipped egg whites), and rich in vanilla flavor. Although, in the future, if I ever photograph tapioca pudding again, I’ll give it a bit more coverage with fresh berries. 🙂

Tapioca pudding holds a sentimental place in my heart. My grandma would always make this pudding. She loved it. My grandma lived with us for my entire childhood. She lived in an attached unit to our house so we spent a lot of time together. Until 4th grade, my parents both worked and my grandma was on carpool duty. She’d pick me up after school, and sometimes there would be a little crystal saucer with tapioca waiting for me. And the best part was that there was no predicting when it would be. Sometimes there may be a special occasion but mostly it was just any given day and the tapioca made it a special occasion. Before she passed away in my late teens, it was really something that only the two of us loved (aside from my mom).

My Mom and I have kept the tradition and love for tapioca alive. When we were on a trip to England, which I described a bit on the Grape Tart post, we discovered that tapioca pudding is amazing with fresh grapes — sliced grapes somehow even taste better. 😉 Your first bite of food is through your eyes, after-all. I wish my grandma knew how delicious tapioca is with fresh berries and seasonal fruit. Although, tapioca doesn’t even need it.

If texture isn’t an issue for you (they’re super chewy which can throw some people off) then it’s basically just eating a creamy vanilla custard/pudding with fun little elements of texture. I love it and hope you do too!

*Vegan option* — One final word. @ma_life_au_texas (she’s awesome, French, and living in Austin) recommends a vegan version. You can swap the milk for coconut milk and the egg for coconut cream. Yum! And she says to add mango. Delicious.

Tapioca Pudding (large pearl)

Tapioca pudding