Ahhh, baked tapioca pudding—old-school, cozy, and quietly elite. 😌🍮
Here’s a classic oven-baked version with a creamy center and lightly golden top.
Baked Tapioca Pudding
Ingredients
- ½ cup small pearl tapioca
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 2 large eggs, separated
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- Nutmeg or cinnamon (optional, for top)
Method
1. Soak the tapioca
- Soak tapioca in 2 cups milk for 30–60 minutes (or overnight in the fridge).
2. Heat
- Add soaked tapioca + milk to a saucepan.
- Cook gently over medium-low, stirring often, until pearls turn translucent and mixture thickens (10–15 min).
- Remove from heat.
3. Make custard base
- Whisk egg yolks with sugar and salt.
- Slowly stir hot tapioca into yolks (temper gently).
- Add butter and vanilla.
4. Fold egg whites
- Beat egg whites until soft peaks.
- Gently fold into tapioca mixture for a lighter texture.
5. Bake
- Pour into a buttered baking dish.
- Sprinkle nutmeg or cinnamon on top.
- Bake at 350°F / 175°C for 30–40 minutes, until set and lightly golden.
Serve
- Warm or chilled
- With cream, milk, or berries
- Even better the next day
Tips & variations
- Extra rich: replace ½ cup milk with cream
- Coconut twist: use coconut milk + toasted coconut
- Old-fashioned: add a handful of raisins
- No skin: lay buttered parchment on top while baking
If you want a Southern-style, custard-heavy, or slow-baked Amish version, I’ve got you 👌
