I’ve converted many people to tapioca with this recipe, so if you are a sceptic, I urge you to close your eyes and give it a try. This pudding is nothing like the frogspawn texture you might remember or the sticky, unpleasant mouthful you might expect. Rather, it’s a delicate, beautiful dessert with pearls swimming in silky custard, perfectly contrasted with sharp, sweet and tangy roast rhubarb.
Tapioca pudding with roast rhubarb
This will keep in the fridge for up to three days, though the tapioca may need some additional milk or custard to loosen when you reheat it.
Prep 10 min
Macerate 20 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4
100g small pearl tapioca
For the custard
200ml whole milk
200ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
50g caster sugar
3 egg yolks
For the roast rhubarb
200g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into chunks
30g caster sugar
Toss the rhubarb and sugar in a large bowl, then leave to macerate for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Spread the rhubarb mixture on a baking tray, roast for 12–15 minutes, or until slightly tender, then remove and leave to cool.
While the rhubarb is roasting, put the tapioca in a sieve and rinse under cold running water until it runs clear. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, then add the tapioca and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–15 minutes, until the pearls are mostly translucent. Drain through a fine-mesh sieve, then rinse under cold water to stop the tapioca cooking further.
In another saucepan, heat the milk, cream, vanilla pod and half the sugar over a medium heat, stirring to prevent the milk from catching. In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar. When the milk mixture is steaming and just below boiling, slowly pour two-thirds of it into the egg yolk bowl, whisking continuously. Tip the yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cook, stirring, over a low heat for five to seven minutes, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon; don’t let it come to a boil. Take off the heat, then strain through a fine sieve to remove the vanilla pod and any lumps.
Stir the custard into the cooked tapioca, then spoon into four bowls. Top with some of the roast rhubarb, and serve warm or cold.
