As a small kid, I loved watching my grandma cook and bake in her tiny kitchen where the pantry was jam packed with goodies.  I’d make my way through this pantry, being careful to open the door slowly in case anything went flying out, to see what neat condiments she had stored away for future baking sessions.  One of those pantry items was a small red box of instant tapioca pearls that I was always fascinated by.  This memory came back to me this week so I decided to make tapioca pudding, but to go the long route.  Hope you try and enjoy it as much as I did.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup large pearl tapioca (I use Reese brand)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 6 tsp granulated sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, soak tapioca pearls in 3 cups of water overnight.  Drain water.
2. In a double boiler, heat cream and milk until just warmed (I use a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water).  Add salt and drained tapioca.  Continue to heat until small bubbles appear at sides of pan. Cover, turn heat to low and cook for one hour.  Make sure the milk mixture does not simmer or boil.
3. Separate egg whites from yolks.  Beat egg yolks and sugar together until light yellow.  Add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolks and blend thoroughly. Then add the egg yolk mixture to the hot milk mixture, stirring constantly.  Raise heat to medium under the double boiler and cook until tapioca mixture is very thick, about 20 minutes.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Slowly fold the hot tapioca mixture into the egg whites.  Stir in vanilla.
5. Spoon the tapioca pudding into six 7-ounce ramekins.  Sprinkle about a teaspoon of sugar over the surface of each pudding-filled ramekins.  Brulée the pudding tops using a kitchen torch (or under the broiler), serve at room temperature or chilled.
   Makes 6 servings.

Notes: As an alternative, omit the brulée top and pour 1 teaspoon of pure maple syrup on the tapioca pudding.  Based on a recipe by Reese Tapioca.