Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Tapioca Pudding

Tapioca pudding anyone? I know that pudding is something you either love or hate. Personally, I love it. Pudding is comfort food at it's best.

When my husband and I were first dating, he would sweetly say "tapioca", and I would bound to the kitchen to whip him up a batch. I later learned that he wasn't even a pudding person, but having someone willingly whip up a batch at the drop of a hat, made him appreciate it's finer points (and mine too apparently).

This weekend my daughter had her wisdom teeth out, and could only eat soft food. The first thing she uttered after awaking from anesthesia was "tapioca". Of course you can't buy ready-made vegan tapioca in the market, so as soon as I got her settled in bed I started cooking.

Although my pics are a bit dark, the pudding was delicious. I adapted a recipe from Bryanna Clark Grogan and made my daughter very happy (or as happy as she could be given the circumstances). I guess you could call the pudding vegan penicillin.



Tapioca Pudding

3 cups plain or vanilla soymilk
3 tablespoons Bird’s Custard Powder
3 tablespoons Minute or instant tapioca
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan, whisk together the first 4 ingredients. Let mixture sit for 5-10 minutes to soften tapioca. Place saucepan over medium low heat and, whisking continuously, cook mixture until thickened. This will take about 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Scoop pudding into a bowl. Let pudding cool and refrigerate pudding until firm.

*If you can't find Bird's Custard Powder, I believe that you can substitute an equal amount of cornstarch. Look for Bird's Custard Powder at grocery stores, specialty markets & Cost Plus World Market.

Recipe adapted from Bryanna Clark Grogan

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

i wish that your girl get well soon!

looks good!

Vegan_Noodle said...

Hi Julie, love your blog! I have never had tapioca pudding before, guess it was just something I missed while growing up. I may have to give it a try, your recipe sounds so yummy!
Thanks also for visiting my blog, I checked out the everyday dish tv and loved it! Now if we can only get the food network to pick it up.... Thanks for all you do to spread veganism!

fughawzi said...

Oho, I think you might just be my favourite person ever. I used to love tapioca pudding, I'm gonna try and make this as soon as I get custard powder and tapioca!

I hope your daughter feels better soon. Just the idea of getting them out makes my wisdom teeth hurt.. Poor thing.

theONLYtania said...

Wow, I really want this now! Thanks for the recipe. I hope your daughter feels better. I had mine out last year, my face blew up like a balloon. My Mom made me a lot of pureed soup! Hehe.

julie hasson said...

Thanks for all the well wishes for my daughter. She's feeling better now (could it be all the tapioca?) and is back to her old self. She was beginning to think that the swollen cheeks were permanent. Would you believe that she's still asking for more pudding?

Although the custard powder might be tricky to find, it adds a really nice custard flavor to the pudding. I dragged back several tins of it from a trip to Canada last year, only to find that it's available here in Portland. Oh well.

vegan-noodle, I'm glad you like our cooking show. It would be nice to see a vegan cooking show on the Food Network. Maybe one day.

Julie

Anonymous said...

I love, love, love tapioca pudding !!
I have to find that custard powder somewhere !

Glad to read that your little one is feeling better, Julie and thanks for the recipe !

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

Homemade vegan pudding is about the best silver lining to having wisdom teeth out. Hope your daughter feels better quickly. & thanks for sharing the recipe!

Amy said...

Yum! We have Orgran custard powder here (I think I have some in the cupboard). I'm going to have to give these a go. I've made chocolate tapioca and it went down a treat with my littlies (and me) so now to try vanilla! Glad your daughter is doing better! And yup, it was the tapioca pudding for sure (filled with Mum's love no doubt).

KleoPatra said...

Congrats on your PeTA honor, very well deserved, i might add. i was never a tapioca fan but i have always <3'd pudding...

Hope your daughter is smiling happily and painlessly. i had my wisdoms pulled and recall it was NOT fun...

Sheree' said...

Get well wishes to your daughter. I love tapioca pudding and since going vegan that has been eliminated from my diet. Thank you so much for the recipe. Thanks to Vegan Vice's review I am getting ready to purchase the DVD!!! AWESOME!!

julie hasson said...

Thanks Vicki!

Thanks again for all the sweet words for my daughter. She's officially recovered and on her way to summer camp.

Hi Gaia! Thanks for visiting the blog. Look for the custard powder on the baking aisle at a well-stocked grocery store.

Hi Vegetation! Your chocolate tapioca sounds divine. I'm going to have to give that a try.

Thanks Kleopatra! It was fun to be included on their site. Tapioca seems to be one of those desserts that you either love or hate. I'm so into vegan puddings now. I've got a great recipe for rice pudding that I'll post soon.

Welcome Veg-A-Nut! I hope you enjoy the recipe. Yeah for vegan pudding! No need to do without.

Julie

Anonymous said...

I found some !! :)))))))

Anonymous said...

I am a frequent reader of your blog!! Love it!!

Kate said...

Your blog popped up when I was searching for places in Portland to buy custard powder. I'm desperate for some to make some Nanaimo Bars, and I'm wondering if you could tell me where in Portland you found it? Thanks in advance!