Mango and coconut tapioca pudding
GLUTEN FREE II DAIRY FREE II VEGAN II SOY FREE II REFINED SUGAR FREE
This is such a comforting pudding to eat, creamy and silky with squidgy soft gelatinous tapioca pearls paired with mango. Its custardy texture is so dreamy to eat on a cold day. Eat this straight from cooking or just warm.
Tapioca comes from the cassava root, which is native to South America. Tapioca is used in bubble tea, puddings, and desserts and as a thickener in cooking. If you haven’t tried tapioca, you absolutely must, it’s naturally gluten-free and a great ingredient to use if you're looking for more ways to eat food on a gluten-free diet.
Notes on ingredients & substitutions
What is Tapioca
Tapioca pearls, also known as tapioca balls, are edible translucent spheres produced from tapioca, a starch made from the cassava root. When used as an ingredient in bubble tea, they are most commonly referred to as pearls or boba. By adding different ingredients, like water, sugar, or some other type of sweetener like honey, tapioca pearls can vary in colour and texture.
Various forms of tapioca pearls include black, flavoured, popping, mini, and clear. Tapioca pearls are commonly soaked in sugar syrup to make them sweet and chewy. In teas, they are often added for their texture, with the flavour provided by the drink. Read more about tapioca here. Also, here is my article on gluten-free grains, with more tapioca recipes and more information on this tasty ingredient.
You can buy tapioca online, in health food stores or in your local Indian/Asian grocery store.
Coconut milk
Please source coconut milk that has no added gums like carrageenan or emulsifiers. I find that using them in cooking really ruins the dish as the additives used to mean that your sauce doesn’t thicken but curdles instead. It’s really gross, plus these added chemicals cause IBS symptoms and carrageenan is linked to cancer. So I avoid it as much as I can. I buy my coconut milk online, as most supermarkets sell the varieties with added crap, which is infuriating! Here’s a link to where I buy my coconut milk.
Plant-based milk
I used a little plant-based milk in this recipe. However, as with the coconut milk in the tin, only use milk that has no added rubbish or gums added, as it will stop the pudding from thickening or it might curdle. My fave brands are either Rude health milk or Plenish milk.
Mango
I made mango puree from scratch; however if you are short of time or looking for a faster way to make this pudding buy it already pureed in a tin. Just do a google search, and you will find many options. Many supermarkets sell it too. Use leftover mango puree on yoghurt for breakfast or in smoothies.
Sweetener
If you are vegan, use agave, maple, coconut blossom nectar or any sweetener you prefer. I always like to use raw local honey.
Ingredients
Tips
This pudding needs to be cooked slowly and frequently stirred as it cooks as it will stick to the bottom as it’s so starchy, so be patient. It’s really worth the effort.
When the pudding is refrigerated it does turn really gelatinous, so this is best served warm.
Storage & reheating
The pudding can be stored in the fridge for 3 days. This is best served warm or hot. I served it warm at just above room temperature. When kept in the fridge, it becomes very gelatinous and lumpy and needs to be let down with a splash of milk and warmed slowly on the stove.
Makes 2 portions - 45 mins cooking time
Step by Step
Recipe
1 x 400g tin coconut milk ( see notes)
155 ml of plant based milk ( see notes)
65 g tapioca pearls
1 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp sweetener of choice
mango puree
150 g mango cut into cubes
1 tsp sweetener ( see notes)
Method
Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan, add the tapioca pearls, and stir to coat the pearls evenly.
Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil, stirring so the pearls don’t stick.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low heat, stirring often.
As the pudding cooks, it will become thicker as the pearls release starch. The pearls are cooked when they mostly look translucent see pictures above. They should be soft and squidgy. This will take roughly 45 minutes.
You may need to add more milk if it thickens too much. Its too thick when it constantly sticks to the bottom of the saucepan.
Whilst the tapioca is cooking, prepare the puree by adding the mango to a saucepan with your sweetener of choice and a splash of water cook till the mango has broken down and is soft. (Reserve 50 g of mango chunks for layering the dessert.)
Leave to cool and blitz.
Once the tapioca is cooked, layer the pudding with the mango puree in a glass or jar, and serve immediately..
Variations
Feel free just to cook the pudding and serve it with jam or just as it is. You could also use raspberries, strawberries, stewed plums or a mix of forest fruits.
If your find cooking for your allergies and intolerances challenging. I also teach cookery classes and can do this in person or via zoom. Contact me here for a tailor-made class to suit your requirements.
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