This Tapioca Sundae probably should have been my idea. I mean, I love tapioca. I like creamy, decadent homemade versions. I like cheap, pudding-pack tapioca. I love bubble tea. The texture draws me in for sure; it’s a weird and playful food. But I haven’t given much thought to how to use it as an ingredient. Which is silly really, considering I’ve definitely had it as an ingredient before. Some pies use it as a thickener; it’s especially common in peach raspberry for whatever reason. It’s an important part of the playful “pearls and oysters” dish at the French Laundry, which you may know holds a very special place in my heart. But everything changed this Sunday as I was reading recipes and came across tapioca as a sundae topping. Genius I thought. I gussied it up a bit with limoncello, but basically that just made it sweet and lemony, which was delicious, and the cold from the frozen yogurt (or ice cream) topped with warm tapioca was such a wonderful contrast as I ate it. My Tapioca Sundae also included a little of my peach raspberry refrigerator jam for event more flavor.

½ cup large pearl tapioca (I used reese)
½ cup Limoncello (you could easily use lemon juice and sugar instead but I had some on hand)
2 ½ cups water

pinch of salt
1 cup whipping cream (or milk)
2 yolks
¼ cup sugar

refrigerator jam
frozen yogurt (or ice cream)

I like large pearls, but the brand I like wants me to pre-soak them in water overnight. Since, of course, I haven’t planned for that, this recipe includes steps to rush this process along. Add the pearls to the limoncello and water in a small to medium pot on the stove. Bring to a boil. Stir. Turn heat to low. Stir. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let sit for an hour. Pour into a bowl or storage container. Without cleaning the pot, pour in whipping cream, yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt. [I recommend going full cream on the tapioca and a yogurt that’s tangy and lower fat and, but you could invert that, or do all lower fat. I think both high fat is too much though.] Heat at medium. Whisk the mixture. Heat gently until it starts to boil and then back off of the heat, whisking frequently. Once custard has thickened, add in the tapioca and remove from the heat. Warm the refrigerator jam. Scoop a little frozen yogurt into a glass or bowl. Top with some tapioca and the jam. The combination of cold yogurt and warm pudding works well and provides another awesome use for refrigerator jam.