Butterscotch Tapioca Pudding Rich, Creamy Comfort Food

Butterscotch Tapioca Pudding is perfect when you need a little old fashioned comfort on a spoon. Chewy tapioca pearls in a sweet rich sauce. Mmmm!

I have quite a few healthy recipes on the blog.

This recipe is anything but healthy. It is comfort food. Loaded with butter and brown sugar, it isn't an every day food. It is "I'm recovering from a cold, the house is a mess, my child is driving me crazy and I need something to make me feel better" food.

The recipe comes from Cooking from Quilt Country by Marcia Adams (affiliate link) based on the 1980s PBS series of the same name. Tapioca pudding is often made by soaking the pearls and eventually adding eggs in two batches, first the yolks then later folding in the beaten whites. This recipe does neither. No soaking and it is done cooking in 30 minutes.

WARNING: Not All Small Pearl Tapioca is the same

Tapioca is made from the cassava plant that grows in the tropics (very popular in South American and South East Asian cuisine). Here in the US we hardly use cassava except as tapioca and mainly as a thickener, or to make pudding and boba (milk tea).

I have tried several different brands of small pearl tapioca to make pudding. Some use the amount of tapioca in the recipe. Some use half the amount. Both are labeled as small pearl tapioca (not quick cooking).

What should you do? Check the directions on your package of tapioca pearls. If the ratio of water to pearls is higher (more water than tapioca) try the package ratio first.

If it seems too soupy to your liking add more pearls and keep cooking. It won't harm the already cooked pearls to cook a bit longer.

More Comfort Food Recipes from #OurFamilyTable

Tis the season for comfort food and we have some comforting recipes to share with you today with lots of delicious soups, pastas and desserts.

Comfort Food Recipes

• Butterscotch Tapioca Pudding from That Recipe
• Cajun Red Beans and Rice Skillet from Blogghetti
• Cream of Spinach Soup from Art of Natural Living
• Fried Chicken Hot Shot (Manhattan) from Palatable Pastime
• Gluten-Free, Vegan Cilantro Cream Quinoa Spaghetti from Magical Ingredients
• Make Ahead Beef Stew from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Meatball Lasagna from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Sausage Tortellini Soup from Fresh April Flours
• Taco Soup from Devour Dinner

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Butterscotch Tapioca Pudding

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Ingredients

 

• 2½ cups water
• pinch salt
• ⅔ cup small pearl tapioca (not quick cook)
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2½ tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

 

• In a medium saucepan, combine water, salt and tapioca. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
• Add the brown sugar to the tapioca, lower the heat and cook for 5 more minutes. There will still be a bit of white left in the tapioca, if it is more than halfway white cook a bit longer.
• Whisk together the egg and milk in a measuring cup. When the tapioca mixture is mostly cooked, scoop out about ⅓ cup and whisk it into the milk and egg. Then whisk the tempered egg mixture into the rest of the tapioca.
• Cook over low heat for about 10 more minutes. While it is cooking, in a small saucepan melt the butter and continue cooking until it is light brown.
• Combine browned butter and vanilla with the tapioca. Pour into one 1 quart serving dish or 4-6 individual serving dishes. Let cool to room temperature and serve.

Notes

WARNING: Not all small pearl tapioca is the same. If the recipe on your package calls for less tapioca per 2 ½ cups of water use the amount on the package to start and add more if it seems soupy. I have found a stark difference between brands with some needing half as much. 

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More Tapioca Recipes

Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey