Tapioca

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •2-quart ovenproof saucepan
• •1-liter charlotte mould or straight-sided heatproof pudding basin
• •Deep roasting tin for the Bain-Marie
• •Electric mixer or balloon whisk
• •Instant-read thermometer, optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the mould

   Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 1-liter charlotte mould or straight-sided heatproof pudding basin thoroughly, reaching into every corner, then sprinkle in the teaspoon of tapioca and turn the mould until the base and sides are lightly coated. Tap out any loose excess. Set a kettle of water to heat for the later bain-marie.

2. 2

   Cook the tapioca

   Bring the milk, sugar, salt, and 3 tablespoons of butter to a full boil in an ovenproof saucepan, stirring so the sugar dissolves without catching. Sprinkle in the tapioca in a slow rain while whisking; dumping it in at once makes knots that stay hard at their centers. Return the mixture just to the boil, then place the uncovered saucepan in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. The mixture is ready when it is thick, the grains are swollen, and no chalky white centers remain. If the tapioca is still firm, give it another 5 minutes in the oven before proceeding.

3. 3

   Enrich with yolks

   Transfer the hot tapioca to a clean heatproof mixing bowl and let it stand for 3 minutes. Whisk the yolks together in a small bowl, stir in a large spoonful of the tapioca to temper them, then whisk this mixture back into the pudding. Add the 2½ tablespoons of butter piece by piece and stir until it disappears into a glossy emulsion. If yellow threads begin to form, stop the heat immediately, whisk in the cool butter, and set the bowl briefly over cool water. Ça se rattrape if you catch the yolks before they curdle fully.

4. 4

   Fold in the whites

   Lower the oven to 325°F (165°C). Beat the egg whites in a perfectly clean bowl until they hold stiff but still glossy peaks. Stir one-third of the whites into the warm tapioca to loosen its weight, then fold in the remainder with broad strokes from the bottom of the bowl. Stop as soon as no large white pockets remain. The whites are the lift, so fold with attention, not force.

5. 5

   Poach in the Bain-Marie

   Spoon the mixture into the prepared mould and smooth the top lightly without pressing out the air. Set the mould in a deep roasting tin, then pour boiling water into the tin until it reaches halfway up the mould. Bake in this Bain-Marie for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top springs back under a light fingertip and the center reaches at least 160°F (71°C). The water should quiver, never boil hard; if it begins bubbling fiercely, add a little cool water to the roasting tin and lower the oven slightly.

6. 6

   Stand and turn out

   Lift the mould from the water and leave the pudding undisturbed for 8 minutes. This short stand lets the egg structure settle enough to hold while remaining tender. Run a thin knife around the edge, place a warm serving plate over the mould, and invert them together. If the pudding clings, wrap the mould in a hot damp towel for 30 seconds and try again. Never shake it into submission.

7. 7

   Sauce and serve

   Serve the tapioca warm, accompanied as the classical entry directs by English custard, sabayon, or a tart fruit sauce. Spoon the chosen sauce around the pudding rather than drowning its softly beaded surface. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose quick-cooking granulated tapioca made of very small pearls. Large bubble-tea pearls cannot soften in the source's twenty-minute first cooking and would change both the method and the finished texture.
• •The half quantity preserves the source formula exactly: 113 g tapioca, 500 ml milk, 57 g sugar, 43 g butter in the milk, then 3 yolks, 35 g butter, and 2 whites. Only the service size and mould have changed.
• •A charlotte mould gives the closest straight-sided shape, but a 1-liter metal pudding basin works perfectly. Avoid thick stoneware if possible, since it responds slowly in the bain-marie and can leave the center unset after the edges are firm.
• •English custard makes the gentlest accompaniment, sabayon the richest, and a raspberry or redcurrant fruit sauce the sharpest. Prepare one, not all three. Cooking well is not cooking fancy.
• •Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The tapioca becomes firmer when cold, so let it lose its chill or warm individual portions gently before serving.

Advance Preparation

• •The mould can be buttered and dusted with tapioca several hours ahead. Keep it covered at cool room temperature until needed.
• •Measure the pudding ingredients and separate the eggs earlier in the day. Refrigerate the eggs covered, then let the whites lose their deep chill before beating.
• •Do not make the tapioca base ahead and fold in the whites later. As the starch cools it sets firmly, making proper folding impossible without losing the source's light texture.
• •English custard or fruit sauce may be prepared a day ahead and chilled; warm it gently if desired. Sabayon should be made close to serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 200g)