Description
A creamy and luscious vanilla bean tapioca pudding topped with a crisp, caramelized brûlée sugar crust, served alongside fresh macerated berries for a refreshing contrast. This dessert combines classic textures with a modern twist, perfect for an elegant finish to any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pudding
- 3/4 cup small pearl tapioca
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 4 large eggs
- 1 generous pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- ⅓ to ½ cup granulated or raw sugar for brûlée topping
Macerated Berries
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Soak Tapioca: Place the tapioca pearls in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak overnight in the fridge, or soak in hot water for 1–2 hours if short on time. Drain before cooking.
- Heat Dairy and Sugar: In a large saucepan, combine milk, cream, and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure the mixture doesn’t boil.
- Cook Tapioca: Stir in the drained tapioca pearls. Reduce heat to low and let simmer gently, stirring frequently for 20–25 minutes until pearls become translucent and the mixture thickens visibly.
- Temper Eggs: Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Slowly ladle about ½ cup of the hot tapioca mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to temper them. Then, pour the tempered eggs back into the pot with the pudding, stirring continuously.
- Thicken Pudding: Continue to cook on low heat for another 2-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the pudding thickly coats the back of a spoon.
- Finish Pudding: Remove the pot from heat. Stir in salted butter, salt, and vanilla bean paste until well combined.
- Chill or Serve Warm: Pour pudding into a large shallow bowl or baking dish. For chilled pudding, press a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent skin formation, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Otherwise, serve warm.
- Prepare Brûlée Topping: Remove plastic wrap if chilled. Sprinkle ⅓ to ½ cup sugar evenly over the pudding surface in a thin, even layer.
- Broil Sugar: Place the dish under a broiler on the top rack for 1–3 minutes, watching closely until the sugar melts and bubbles, taking care to avoid burning.
- Caramelize Sugar: Use a kitchen torch to evenly caramelize the sugar into a golden, crackly shell. Let it set for 1–2 minutes.
- Macerate Berries: In a bowl, toss together strawberries, blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice gently to coat the berries.
- Rest Berries: Let the berries sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the strawberries soften and release juices.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate berries until ready to serve. Spoon the macerated berries over or alongside the brûléed tapioca pudding for a refreshing, fruity contrast.
Notes
- Soaking tapioca overnight results in a softer texture; hot soak is a quicker alternative.
- Watch the sugar carefully under the broiler to prevent burning; a kitchen torch helps achieve a perfect caramelized crust.
- You can adjust the sugar on the berries to taste depending on sweetness preference and berry ripeness.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute coconut milk and cream, though texture will differ.
- Ensure constant stirring while tempering eggs to avoid curdling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus soaking time of 1-12 hours)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: vanilla bean tapioca pudding, brûlée topping, macerated berries, creamy dessert, caramelized sugar, classic pudding
