Tapioca Strawberry Pudding

Enjoyed either warm or cold, a bowl of creamy tapioca pudding is at the same time, a filling snack and comforting dessert. Layered with a sweet strawberry compote and flavored with cardamom, this grown up version of the childhood classic is the perfect make-ahead Mother’s Day treat.

Creamy, lightly sweetened and layered with a fresh berry sauce, this is your childhood favorite in a grown-up avatar. I am talking about the tapioca pudding, a staple in snack boxes and hospital meal trays. In our Indian household, mom used to feed me a slightly thin homemade version called kheer or payasam. I loved biting on those soft gelatinous pearls and slurping the thick milky pudding.

So when I was thinking of the perfect Mother’s Day recipe this year, only one thing came to mind – a luscious tapioca pudding. I have borrowed elements from an Indian sabudana kheer and added some cardamom to flavor this pudding. The pudding is layered with a fresh strawberry compote to brighten it. Is anyone excited that berry season is upon us? I am!!

The ingredient list is really simple for this dessert. A handful of tapioca pearls, some milk, strawberries and sugar. You can most definitely replace dairy milk with any sort of nut or non-dairy milk.

Layer the strawberry sauce in the bottom, on top or make red stripes in the glass. Isn’t that so pretty? My favorite way to eat the pudding is lightly swirling the sauce in the pudding and enjoying all the flavors in every bite. Delicious!!

The thing I love most about tapioca pudding is that it works equally well either warm or cold. If it is hot in your neck of the woods, simply assemble and chill the pudding cups to enjoy over a few days. If the weather is crazy and Mother’s Day is turning out to be more chilly than warm, enjoy this dessert warm by all means.

Isn’t this the most delicate, pretty dessert ever? I am sure mom would approve!

Tapioca Strawberry Pudding

 

Save Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Enjoyed either warm or cold, a bowl of creamy tapioca pudding is at the same time, a filling snack and comforting dessert. Layered with a sweet strawberry compote and flavored with cardamom, this make-ahead grown-up version is sure to keep you coming back for more. Perfect for Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and more!

Author: Anjana Devasahayam

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

You will need:

For Strawberry Compote,

• Strawberries - 2 cups, chopped
• Sugar - 6 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

For Tapioca Pudding,

• Tapioca pearls - ⅔ cup
• Milk - 3 cups, divided
• Cornstarch - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Cardamom powder - ½ tsp (optional)
• Vanilla extract - ½ tsp

How to:

1. Strawberry compote: Take the berries, sugar and lemon juice in a sauce pan and start cooking on medium heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes till it thickens. Lightly mash the berries with the back of a spoon or leave them as such if you like the texture. Remove from heat and cool. Store in a jar till needed.
2. Tapioca pudding: Begin by washing the tapioca pearls lightly under running water. Soak the pearls in a bowl of water for 15-20 minutes.
3. Drain the tapioca pearls, add to a large sauce pan and add 2 cups of milk. Cook the tapioca on medium heat till soft and gelatinous, around 12-15 minutes. Turn off the heat when done.
4. Meanwhile, you will make a thick milk pudding. Whisk together 1 cup of milk, cornstarch and sugar in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, whisking all the while, till it thickens.
5. Add this milk pudding to tapioca pearls cooked in milk. Add cardamom powder and vanilla extract. Whisk well and cook for a further 5 minutes or till thickened to your liking. Pudding will thicken further as it cools.
6. Layer tapioca pudding and strawberry compote in dessert glasses or bowls. Serve warm or chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.
7. Cover the pudding with cling wrap and store for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Notes:

1. The pudding has been very lightly sweetened because we are layering it with the sweet strawberry compote. Increase the amount of sugar to your liking if you are serving the pudding without the compote.

3.5.3208

This is the perfect recipe to make for this Mother’s Day. Save and pin it to make for Valentine’s Day or any time when you are craving a delicious sweet treat.

I have made a very similar tapioca pudding with blueberry sauce earlier. Read this post for the method. Both recipes are similar but the methods differ very slightly. I find that cooking the tapioca pearls and thickening the milk pudding separately gives a better texture and flavor to the finished pudding, and that’s what I have done here.

Here are more dessert ideas for Mother’s Day.

• Sabudana-Poha Kheer, an Indian milk pudding made with tapioca pearls and flattened rice flakes.
• Bhapa Doi, a baked yogurt pudding topped with a fruit coulis and nuts. Delicious, stunning and really easy to make (the pudding takes 5 minutes to prep!).
• Gulab Phirni, a creamy rose flavored rice pudding that is the perfect shade of natural pink for a sweet Mother’s Day surprise.

If you like this post, please follow this blog via Email to get post updates (find subscription box on the right side of this page, or scroll down in mobile version).

Stay connected on social media, PIN and SHARE this post.

Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | Google+

I am sharing this over at Fiesta Friday, FoodieFriDIY & Saucy Saturday.