Coconut Tapioca Pudding

If I were a superhero, my kryptonite would probably be anything custard or coconut. And if the two merged into one glorious dish (coconut cream pie, coconut crème brûlée, etc.) I’d be done for. This tapioca pudding fits snugly into that category.

Tapioca seems to be one of those things that befuddles people in that it's not an actual plant but rather the extracted starch of the cassava root. Cassava, also called manioc or yuca, is native to South America and is one of the top sources of carbohydrates consumed around the world. The woody tuber contains a naturally occurring toxin and therefore must undergo processing to become edible. It can then be boiled, steamed or fried and used as a starchy side dish, in soups and dumplings or baked into sweet cakes.

  
The familiar tapioca pearl is produced by drying the processed cassava. The result is a virtually protein-free starch which happens to be very digestible (it was actually considered a healthy food for the young, old and infirm in 19th century America).

These days I mainly consume tapioca in the form of bubble tea, thickened fruit desserts, or my personal favorite, pudding. 

Bob’s Red Mill has a fabulous recipe on the back of their small pearl tapioca package, one that involves whipped egg whites. You saw what they did for pancakes; you won’t believe what they can do for pudding.

So I experimented a bit and came up with this version, which uses coconut milk in addition to regular milk. The result is quite nuanced, not at all over the top. What IS over the top is the texture. The whipped egg whites elevate it from the pudding category to more of a whip.

Have you ever eaten a cloud? Well here’s your chance.

 
Coconut Tapioca Pudding
I like serving this pudding topped with fresh mango or pineapple. For a more intense coconut flavor, increase the ratio of coconut milk to regular milk, or try folding in some unsweetened shredded coconut. Inspired by the tapioca recipe on the Bob's Red Mill package.

1/3 cup small pearl tapioca (not instant)
2 cups whole milk
1 14-fluid ounce can coconut milk (light is fine)
Pinch of salt
2 eggs, separated 
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, soak the tapioca in the milk for 30 minutes. Add the coconut milk, salt and lightly beaten egg yolks; stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes.
 
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with the sugar until soft peaks form. Slowly fold about 1 cup of hot tapioca into the egg whites, then gently fold the mixture back into the saucepan. Stir over low heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. 

Serve the pudding warm or chilled (if you choose to chill the pudding, cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming).

Coconut Cream Pie

photo by Talley

I almost closed the book on our Easter dinner without mentioning the elected dessert: coconut cream pie. Using the same vein of thinking as the main course, I wanted traditional elements present without having to buy a lamb-shaped cake pan. Plus, quite honestly, I barely need an excuse to make custard.

This is an adaptation of my mom’s recipe: a classic blind-baked crust filled with an eggy, not-too-sweet coconut custard, topped with soft whipped cream and toasted coconut shavings. A happy ending indeed.  

Thanks for another fantastic photo, Talley!

Coconut Cream Pie
Most classic recipes call for sweetened, flaked coconut but I find it to be excessive. If you can’t find large shavings for the garnish, just toast some regular shredded coconut.
 
All Butter Crust:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
2-4 tablespoons ice water
 
Preheat oven to 375°F.
 
In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, salt and sugar to combine. Add the chilled butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Add ice water, beginning with 2 tablespoons, and pulse until mixture just comes together (pinch some dough to see if it holds – if not, add more water). Gather dough into a ball, press into a disc and wrap in plastic. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
 
Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll out into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Be sure to check if the dough is sticking – you may have to periodically sprinkle a bit more flour underneath. Transfer rolled dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Carefully and gently press the pie dough to line the bottom and sides of the plate. Fold any overhanging pieces under itself (so that it's double-so-thick) to create a thicker edge. Trim any excess. Flute edges using your thumb and forefingers or crimp with the tines of a fork. Chill 15-20 minutes  before baking.
 
Line the inside of the chilled crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans or rice. Transfer to the oven and bake 20 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Remove the parchment paper and weights and return shell to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, or until bottom of crust is pale golden. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Coconut Custard Filling:
2/3 cup sugar 
1/4 cup cornstarch 
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
3 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1/2 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut
 
Place sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks and milk in a medium saucepan. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add butter, vanilla and coconut; mix well. Let cool slightly; pour into baked pie crust shell.
 
Topping:
3/4 cup large coconut flakes
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 
Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Spread coconut shavings into a single layer on a baking tray. Transfer to oven and toast until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Keep checking every few minutes since it goes fast! Set a side to cool.
 
In a large mixing bowl, add whipping cream, sugar and vanilla. Using a hand mixer, beat on high speed until very soft peaks form. Spread over the coconut custard, using swirling motions to create beautiful peaks. Garnish with toasted coconut shavings.

 photo by Talley

Strawberry Cream Tart

Our good friends Casey and Jen, who have the most adorable little boy Phineas, invited us over for dinner the other night. Even though I’m not a baker, I somehow always get assigned dessert duty, which is surprising since the last time we were there, I brought a complicated, from-scratch butterscotch pudding that was so über-sweet, our teeth practically fell out. I saw this as a chance to redeem myself.

When I think dessert, I rarely think cake. Instead, I have a total penchant for fruit tarts and custards. There were to be six of us at dinner so a tart seemed fitting. Since I wouldn’t have time to make it the following night after work, my mission was to find a recipe that could be made ahead of time and assembled the day of. And in my opinion, Deb of Smitten Kitchen is the dessert queen.

The Strawberry Tart -- whose crust and pastry filling can be made the night before -- caught my attention for obvious reasons. Plus the Pate Sucre with ground almonds and the pastry cream with real vanilla bean promised exquisite results (not to mention that it gave me the perfect excuse to snatch up the last of the season's strawberries).

Not only did we gobble up the entire tart, even little Phineas wanted seconds.

*Note: While it is wonderful as is, a simple fruit glaze (made by melting down fruit jelly and then brushing over the strawberries) would make this tart even prettier.

Panna Cotta with Rhubarb Coulis

"Pudding" is one of my least favorite words, especially when the "g" is dropped. Such an awful mixture of letters for such a delightful concoction. Regardless, I'd take custard or pudding over cake any day, even on my birthday. And panna cotta! That just might be my absolute favorite.

I remember the very first time I had it. It was summertime in Switzerland and I was at a friend's house for dinner. After the main meal and salad, they pulled a ceramic dish containing a thick layer of vanilla bean panna cotta out of the refrigerator. We each received a creamy scoop topped with a simple strawberry coulis.

Unforgettable.

So when I opened my refrigerator and saw two large, exasperated stalks of rhubarb looking back at me, I knew what to do. It was much too hot to bake, and I've served Tristan strawberry rhubarb compote perhaps one time too many. This occasion called for panna cotta with rhubarb coulis.

Despite its elegant appearance, panna cotta is actually a cinch to make. It means "cooked cream" in Italian and requires a simple simmering of milk, cream and sugar, followed by the addition of gelatin and time to set. It's mind boggling how a dessert consisting of half heavy cream can be so light and refreshing, but it is. And the tartness of the pretty pink sauce goes extraordinarily well with the sweet, eggless custard.

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream

Pour milk into medium saucepan; sprinkle surface evenly with gelatin and let stand 5 minutes to hydrate gelatin. With paring knife, split vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape vanilla seeds out of each half; place seeds and pod in saucepan with milk. Add sugar.

Wisk milk mixture over high heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream.

Remove vanilla pods. Ladle cream mixture evenly into 4 ramekins (I often use mismatched jam jars, ramekins and mise en place dishes. Champagne glasses work well, too). Refrigerate, covered, until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Rhubarb Coulis
2 large stalks rhubarb, cleaned, trimmed and cut into 1/3-inch pieces
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water

In a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar and water. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring often, for about 15 minutes or until rhubarb is fall-apart tender. For a smoother sauce, either cook longer or transfer mixture to a blender and pulse until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve panna cotta in their ramekins topped with a layer of rhubarb coulis. Alternately, panna cotta can be unmolded onto a plate and drizzled with coulis. In this case, be sure to rinse ramekins with cool water --do not dry-- before ladling in the cream.