He Likes Coconut Tapioca Puddings -- Il aime les flans de tapioca à la noix de coco

Coconut Tapioca Puddings
Coconut Tapioca Puddings
"What's for dessert?" Do you hear this as often as I do? I have friends who never eat dessert. "Ils sont malades ?" Actually, my dad is one. He occasionally eats dessert, of course, like everyone else, also because sometimes, he does not have the choice. But at the same time, he is not too interested in them. Let's put it this way: he would never leave room for dessert (all right, I think he must have been traumatized as a kid or something). We have never figured it out. My dad would always favor the main course, or a piece of cheese, over a slice of cake, even the most tempting piece of rustic homemade fruit tart. As to us, P. and I will always have dessert. We, obviously, have not been traumatized. And with us, desserts do not necessarily need to be complicated, or fancy. They simply have to be labeled dessert. Sometimes, only a piece of quality bittersweet chocolate will do, especially after lunch. But often, I will have made a vanilla flan, snow eggs, a petit pot de crème au chocolat, a fruit gratin, a rice pudding -- do you see a pattern? -- or a dessert like the one I am going to introduce you to. But perhaps you have already done something like this before? I am sure you must have. Before I met P., I was not particularly a fan of coconut. And I rarely used tapioca. But you see, when you live with someone for a long period of time, I am not teaching you anything: you quickly start to take on some of your partner's habits, sometimes for the best, and sometimes for the worst. With P., I learned to appreciate both tapioca and coconut. After receiving so many requests to use these two ingredients, I finally gave in, and well, here we are. I now use fresh coconut a lot in desserts. As to tapioca, I still have room for improvement. But, since I have just refilled my cupboard with all kinds of tapioca products, different beads sizes and tapioca flour, I am well geared for a lot of future experiments. This dessert? Eggs, milk, coconut milk, coconut, sugar, and tapioca pearls looking like beaming jewels. Wonderfully satisfying, especially because it was really simple to prepare, and mainly because it was called dessert. "We are having coconut tapioca puddings, " I shouted back, from across the room. Why would you not want to leave room for dessert?
Small Tapioca Pearls
Small Tapioca Pearls
On a totally different note, do you remember last year's Food Blog Awards? Well, you were good to me, really nice actually, since amongst many talented food blogs, La Tartine Gourmande was honored to receive the Best Food Blog Photography Award. Guess what, the nominations are open for the Food Blog Awards 2007. So if you are interested, go and check the rules. You have until Wednesday Dec 5th to nominate your favorite food blogs. I don't know about you, but I really find difficult to select only one for each category.
Coconut Tapioca Puddings
(For 4 ramekins)
You need:
  • 4 Tbsp small tapioca pearls
  • 2/3 cup coconut milk
  • 1 +1/2 cups milk
  • 3 Tbsp cane sugar + more to coat the molds
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup grated coconut
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • Butter for molds
Steps:
  • Rinse the tapioca pearls, and strain.
  • In a pot, bring the coconut milk, milk to a boil with the sugar and salt.
  • Slowly pour the tapioca in and reduce the heat to a very low simmer. Cook for about 17 min or so, until the pearls are translucent and soft.
  • Pour in a bowl and let cool.
  • Preheat your oven at 350 F.
  • Add the grated coconut to the previous preparation. Then add the eggs, and mix.
  • Butter four small ramekins, and coat with sugar. Remove the excess. Divide the preparation between them.
  • Cook for about 35 to 40 min, or until they are puffed and golden in color (they will fall). Remove from the oven and let them cool. I find them best eaten lukewarm, or at room temperature (but not cold).
Le coin français
Puddings de tapioca à la noix de coco
(Pour 4 ramequins)
Ingrédients :
  • 40 g de petites perles de tapioca
  • 165 ml de lait de coco non sucré
  • 335 ml de lait
  • 40 g de sucre de canne blond + un peu plus pour les moules
  • Pincée de sel
  • 30 g de noix de coco râpée
  • 2 oeufs, légèrement battus
  • Beurre pour les moules
Étapes :
  • Rinsez les perles de tapioca sous l'eau froide, et égouttez-les.
  • Dans une casserole, amenez le lait de coco et le lait à ébullition, avec le sucre et la pincée de sel.
  • Versez doucement les perles de tapioca, et réduisez le feu à doux. Cuisez les perles de tapioca pendant environ 17 min, ou juste assez pour qu'elles soient translucides et tendres.
  • Versez dans un bol et laissez refroidir.
  • Préchauffez votre four à 180 C.
  • Ajoutez la noix de coco râpée au mélange précédent. Puis ajoutez les oeufs, et mélangez.
  • Beurrez quatre petits ramequins et saupoudrez l'interieur de sucre. Enlevez l'exces. Divisez la crème entre les ramequins.
  • Cuisez au four pendant environ 35 à 40 min, jusqu'à ce que les puddings soient dorés et gonflés (ils vont retomber). Retirez-les du four et laissez-les un peu refroidir. Je les trouve meilleurs mangés tièdes, ou à température ambiante (mais pas froids).

33 Comments

  • Erin ·

    Congratulations on your award. You absolutely deserve it!

  • peabody ·

    I have a friend like that...I don't think she would ever care if she ate sweets. Oh the horror! A lovely tapioca pudding...I can't think of the last time I had it.

  • Rosa ·

    Mmmmhhh, Tapioca Pudding! That brings back sweet childhood memories... Beautiful and delicious! Cheers, Rosa

  • Kat ·

    ooh coconut and tapioca remind me of the dessert you get at the end of a chinese dinner.

  • Gretchen Noelle ·

    What a fun recipe! I am realizing I like tapioca and was recently thinking of making tapioca pudding. This sounds like a fun recipe I just may have to try, so thanks!

  • Ellie ·

    Whilst I love tapioca pearls in cold teas and cold sweet soups (Asian dishes), I've never actually had a tapioca pudding before! I think this should probably be rectified soon.

  • mycookinghut ·

    That reminds me of Bubble Tea with tapioca pearls, a very popular drink!! Love tapioca pearls!! Nice pictures and recipe by the way!

  • JEP ·

    This my knd of dessert!!

  • Zarah Maria ·

    That picture of the tapioca pearls - SO pretty! Haven't had anything with tapioca ever, but if they look like that, they must be worth trying...

  • Flo Bretzel ·

    The same for me, never tried Tapioca!

  • eva ·

    J'associe souvent ces deux ingrédients, je rajoute dessus un coulis de mangue maison .... j'adore !

  • Christina ·

    I've never had tapioca .... Probably not part of the Swedish cuisine when I grew up. I may also have been traumatized because I don't rank dessert as a must have. But perhaps it's time to try out tapioca and get myself some desserts.

  • Liska ·

    So beautiful pictures! And the dessert looks delicious :)

  • Eglantine ·

    Ca m'a tout l'air délicieux.Tes photos sont une véritable incitation à la gourmandise !

  • MyKitchhenInHalfCups ·

    My grandmother made snows with tapioca, my mother made tapioca, I made tapioca. Oddest perhaps, I just made tapioca for a son having his wisdom teeth out yesterday. Not with coconut mind you. Tapioca has always been that something wonderful when you didn't feel 100%, easy to eat and digest. But, still manages to be just right as special dessert. Really will try the coconut for special dessert!

  • Susan from Food Blogga ·

    Only you could make tapioca pearls look that attractive, Bea.

  • Dana ·

    I love coconut! And tapioca! And, most of all, dessert!!! These look delicious :).

  • YOYO Cooking ·

    so beautiful coconut tapioca puddings yummy!

  • Béa ·

    Thanks Gretchen. Sounds like perfect timing, eh? Kat, really? Do you have a recipe to share? Rosa, you know funny to hear, since unlike P. I rarely had it as a child. Peabody, ah yes, Just like my dad. When you like dessert, it is hard to imagine not having it, isn't it? Erin, thank you. Yoyo, thank you, once more. Sweet! Tanna, snows with tapioca, what is that? Sweet of you to make these things for your son. You are right, it is pure comfort food. Christina, yes interesting to see that some foods are more tied to some country cultures. Not too popular in France either, but slowly changing. I hope you will become converted. Flo, you have the best opportunity now. JEP, good! Mycookinghut, you know, I have never had bubble tea, but keep hearing about it. Time to change that. Ellie, I think you are right. When you have never had pudding with it, I have never had it in tea. Time to change this for me too. Zarah maria, thank you. You know, same for me, I thought I needed to bring some tapioca in my cooking. Eglantine, merci beaucoup. Liska, thank you. Eva, oh je suis sure que cela doit etre delicieux. Gracianne, ahaha, on va te convertir. attends! Katie, isn't it interesting? ahah chocolate and a piece of sweet counts, sure ! EB, let me know what you think! :-) Eleonora, bravo! Tu vas te regaler avec ton nouveau jouet! J'en suis super contente. Hillary, thank you. Tammy, thanks so much. Sweet of you to say.

  • Tammy ·

    I keep coming back to this photo, Bea (the top one). It's luminescent. So simple. So simply gorgeous.

  • gracianne ·

    Je fais partie des malades qui ne mangent pas de dessert - mais des fruits oui - c'est grave docteur?

  • Hillary ·

    YUM! I love coconut and tapioca! That sounds perrrrfect.

  • Katie ·

    I love dessert but rarely had it growing up and never make it myself.. A bit of fruit or square of chocolate is all That said, we do usually manage to have a sweet with a cup of tea early evening,,,but that doesn't count, right? Your puds look fantastic!

  • Eleonora ·

    Tu vois j'aime tellement la photo, que du coup pour Noël, je vais avoir un Nikon. Cela me changera du petit canon. J'ai hâte d'être à ce moment là...Il y aura une pensée pour l'artiste...merci Béa.

  • EB ·

    I have never been a fan of coconut OR tapioca but you make me want to give it a shot!

  • vanessa ·

    j'aime y rajouter une banane écrasée et un peu de cardamome...

  • djidji ·

    ça y est, j'ai réalisé ta recette en ajoutant des pépites de chocolat, c'etait super bon!!! Je les ai juste faits un peu trop cuire à mon gout, mais c'est une recette rapide et excellente que je referait rapidement je pense. Si tu me l'autorises, je ferais un lien vers ta recette...

  • veronica ·

    oups mais j'ai rate plein de belles choses...jamais le tapioca n'a ete aussi beau...

  • Miss Diane ·

    Je fais souvent ce genre de pouding mais j'arrête à la première étape. Je vais donc, la prochaine fois ajouter les oeufs et cuire au four... pour un meilleur résultat sans doute!

  • Elisa ·

    That's unsweetened coconut, right? I'd like to try this. :)

  • Béa ·

    Yes unsweetened coconut! I hope you like it.

  • Leigh ·

    The coconut milk? Is that the thin coconut milk in a can or the thicker kind used in Thai type rice? Thanks : )

  • Karla ·

    I love both tapioca and coconut. Can't wait to try this, but wondering if the coconut milk you use is the stuff in the can or cardboard box? Thanks!