Post by chief_cook2 on Dec 10, 2003 10:41:12 GMT -6
Makes 2 ½ quarts, or 12 - 16 servings
Every Amish and Mennonite restaurant has this buttery, rich pudding on its
menu, and it is always served at Amish gatherings. The addition of the browned
butter is a definite regional touch, and certainly enhances this dessert. Using
dark brown sugar instead of light brown makes it, well, more butterscotchy.
The recipe can be halved.
10 cups water
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups small pearl tapioca (see note)
2 cups dark brown sugar, no substitutes
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large, deep saucepan. Sprinkle in the
tapioca and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring often.
Add the dark brown sugar, lower the heat a little, and cook 5 minutes longer,
or until tapioca is clear.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Add the milk and granulated sugar and
blend. Stir 1 cup of the hot tapioca mixture into the egg-milk mixture, then
combine it with the rest of the tapioca. Continue cooking over low heat stirring
often, for about 10 minutes or until mixture bubbles up.
In the meantime, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat
until it is light brown. Add to the bubbling pudding, along with the vanilla,
and mix well. Pour into a 3-quart serving bowl and allow to cool to room
temperature. This pudding will set up without refrigeration (approximately 6 hours),
and I think it is really better if it can be eaten right away. If you do
refrigerate it, allow pudding to come to room temperature before serving, and stir
it up a bit to further soften it.
NOTE: Small pearl tapioca does not have to be soaked before cooking.