I’m in Boston for work, waiting out the rain today, but yesterday I pounded the pavement for a good chunk of the day, and it reminds me why I love hanging out in cities so much (now that I no longer live in one). Remember when a few months ago my friend and I impulsively took advantage of an airline sale and ended up in London for the weekend? The inspiration for this recipe for coconut tapioca pudding comes from that, and the boozy brunch at Scarlett Green, an Australian-themed place tucked into a corner in Soho, that fueled our half-marathon of walking for the day.
I loved the the bright interior was complemented by the sunny skies that blessed our stay. With a choice of sweet and savory, my sweet selection was a coconut yogurt tapioca, topped with poached rhubarb and crunchy almonds. I adapted the recipe for here stateside and substituted a raspberry puree for the rhubarb. The result was a perfectly light breakfast option, or a not too sweet dessert. I say great for any brunch spread, an alternative to yogurt and granola spread that tends to be a constant companion to savory eggs.
One thing to note is that for texture purposes, you’ll need to use the pearl tapioca, not instant. I went first with the instant and it came out not at all how I wanted it to, so back to the drawing board to use the proper pearl version, a step that DOES require an overnight soak. Trust me when I say it’s worth the wait.
Also, the coconut in this comes from coconut yogurt, not milk, but feel free to substitute that for the 2% milk that I’ve used here.
As always, you do you, but as long as you, in some way, do this!
Coconut Tapioca Pudding
Coconut tapioca pudding made with pearl tapioca, creamy coconut yogurt and garnished with crunchy almonds, toasted coconut and raspberry puree.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup small pearl tapioca
- 1 ¼ cup 2% milk
- 2 TB granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 5 oz coconut yogurt
- 1 cup fresh raspberries, pureed
- ¼ cup toasted coconut
- ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds
Directions
- Step 1 Soak the pearl tapioca overnight per package instructions.
- Step 2 To the bowl of a slow cooker, add the drained tapioca, milk and sugar. Cook over high heat for one hour until most of the liquid has dissolved. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the tapioca and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Step 3 Once the tapioca has chilled, mix in the coconut yogurt. Divide tapioca into four bowl or plates. Garnish with pureed raspberries, toasted coconut and sliced almonds.
