2000s Recipes + Menus

Fruit-On-The-Bottom Tapioca Pudding

Serves6
  • Active time:15 min
  • Start to finish:40 min (includes chillling)
July 2009
Beneath a creamy layer of tapioca pudding lurks a silky strawberry base. Ground fennel seeds perk up the flavor of the fruit.
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/3 cup small tapioca pearls
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 6 tablespoons sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 qt strawberries, trimmed and coarsely chopped
  • Equipment:

    an electric coffee/spice grinder or a mortar and pestle
  • Bring water to a boil in a 1-qt heavy saucepan. Whisk in tapioca and simmer, uncovered, whisking occasionally, until tapioca is mostly opaque, about 15 minutes. Whisk in cream, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/8 tsp salt and simmer, uncovered, whisking occasionally, until tapioca is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a metal bowl and cool completely in an ice bath, stirring frequently, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, grind fennel seeds in grinder. Pulse strawberries in a food processor with fennel and remaining 2 Tbsp sugar until coarsely puréed. Divide among (6-oz) glasses.
  • Spoon tapioca over strawberries. Chill until cold, about 15 minutes.
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