Amish Pearl Tapioca Pudding Recipe - Amish Heritage (2024)

FAQs

What ethnicity is tapioca pudding? ›

Tapioca pudding is a delicious sweet pudding dessert popular among various Asian countries and cultures, including Thailand. This is made up of tapioca pearls which are derived from the cassava plant which, once cooked, become a delightful soft consistency and pair wonderfully with creamy coconut milk.

Place the tapioca in a large bowl with a quart of cold water. Cover and allow the tapioca to soak for at least 12 hours. When ready to use, use a fine-mesh strainer to drain off the water and set the soaked pearls aside.

Tapioca can take many forms, but the small pearls are what's used to make tapioca pudding. Tapioca pearls are usually opaque when raw, but become supple and translucent when cooked.

Tapioca comes from cassava. Naturally gluten-free starch is extracted from the plant, which is then turned into a powder or hard pearls. Both are normally white in color, but turn translucent when hydrated.

Tapioca (/ˌtæpiˈoʊkə/; Portuguese: [tapiˈɔkɐ]) is a starch extracted from the tubers of the cassava plant (Manihot esculenta, also known as manioc), a species native to the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, but whose use is now spread throughout South America.

The origin of tapioca is in the tropical areas of American continents, especially in South America. The countries such as Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Honduras planted cassava three to five thousand years before the plant was distributed across the Americas and elsewhere.

Using the tapioca straight out of the bag resulted in a pudding seemed a little “too” stiff (too much starch!). On the plus side, I was surprised that without soaking the tapioca pearls were pretty evenly cooked. This told me that, at least when making tapioca under pressure, you don't have to pre-soak it.

First, it is important to soak small pearl tapioca before attempting to make pudding with it, or the texture will be off. Some people soak overnight, but we found that 30 minutes or so worked with small tapioca, resulting in a lively textured tapioca with wonderful creamy, custard bridging the beads.

In moderation, tapioca can play a role in a healthful eating plan. People should keep in mind that many tapioca recipes, such as tapioca pudding and bubble tea, have additional calories and fat from added sugar, milk, or cream.

Looking at a tapioca pearl, you may think, “What are these made out of?” These white little balls that give tapioca pudding its signature texture actually come from the starch of the cassava root, which is grown in the tropics. After this starch is extracted, it's formed into little pearls.

What is the hard stuff in tapioca pudding? ›

Small tapioca pearls:The distinguishing ingredient in tapioca pudding, and be sure to buy the small ones for this recipe. They're hard little beads that will cook until tender, thickening the pudding and creating a fun texture.

Jell-O Fat Free Cook and Serve Tapioca Pudding is an easy to make fat free dessert. Perfect for any occasion that requires a quick and delicious dessert, this tapioca pudding delivers the classic sweet flavor and creamy texture you know and love.

Typically dark brown sugar, which gives tapioca pearls their signature colouring, is used. More specifically, traditionally, Taiwanese brown sugar (also known as black sugar) is used. There is beauty in simplicity!

Regarding nutritional value, tapioca, and rice pudding are high in carbohydrates and calories, but tapioca pudding is typically lower in fat than rice pudding. Tapioca pudding and rice pudding are both gluten-free, making either a good option for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

It was in this text that the first definition of tapioca appears, as well as its suggestion for inclusion in puddings. This recipe is typically credited to a woman by the name of Susan Stavers, a housewife from Boston, Massachusetts.

According to the MINUTE® Tapioca Company, our traditional American pudding recipe originated in Boston in 1894, in the home of housewife Susan Stavers. She was taking on boarders–one of whom was a sick sailor. Amidst his belongings were cassava roots carried home from a sea journey.

Tapioca pudding is often credited to Susan Stavers, who created the tapioca pudding recipe in the late 19th century. She later sold her recipe and it became minute tapioca. It was a popular dessert around the world during the 20th century.

The true root of rice pudding is hard to discern – the dish can be traced to multiple culture across millennia, including ancient China, the Byzantine Empire, and ancient India, where rice was a major food source.