Tapioca pudding is the ultimate comfort food: silky and creamy from quick-cooking tapioca balls. This dessert, bright in flavor from the lemon zest and extract, is delicious warm or cold. If you plan on serving it cold, cook for slightly less time, since it will thicken further in the fridge.
MAKES: 2 1/2 cups (3 to 4 servings)
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups plain unsweetened flax milk
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking tapioca
- 1/2 cup agave nectar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon or vanilla extract
- About 12 fresh blackberries
INSTRUCTIONS:
- ADD the first four ingredients to a medium saucepan, stir well, and bring to a full boil over medium-high heat (watch carefully—don’t let a skin form).
- Immediately reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- BEAT the eggs in a medium bowl. Very slowly, pour in 1 cup of the hot milk-tapioca mixture, whisking constantly.
- Pour the egg-milk-tapioca mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk-tapioca mixture. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the pudding is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
- If you see pieces of cooked egg, strain the pudding through a handheld fine strainer into a medium bowl. Pick out the pieces of egg in the strainer (they will likely be white) and discard. Then, stir the cooked tapioca pearls back into the pudding.
- OFF the heat, stir in the zest and extract. Serve warm or chill.
- If chilling, place plastic wrap directly on the surface, once the pudding has cooled to room temperature. Either way, top with the berries.
