Low-cal Tapioca Pudding

Total Time: 10 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 10 hrs

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 ounces large pearl tapioca (approximately 1/2 cup)
• 2 cups cold water
• 2 1/2 cups nonfat milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg yolk
• 6 (1 g) packets sugar substitute (up to 9 packets, to taste)
• 1 lemon, zest of
• 1 pinch salt

Recipe

• 1 soak tapioca, covered, in cold water overnight. drain well and place into slow cooker.
• 2 add milk, cream and salt. cook on high 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• 3 in a small bowl, whisk sugar substitute into egg yolk. temper small amounts of pudding base (1-2 tbsp at a time) into egg yolk to bring the temperature up slowly. when you've added about 1 cup of pudding base, transfer back into slow cooker. add lemon zest, stir to combine and cook an additional 15 minutes.
• 4 transfer to a medium bowl. place a layer of plastic wrap down so it touches the surface of the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming), cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, then refrigerate. serve cold.
• 5 substitutions: you can use 3 cups whole milk in place of the skim milk and heavy cream; the fat content will be about the same. do not use all skim milk - it will be flat and the flavors will be very muted.
• 6 substitutions: you can leave out the lemon zest and use 1 1/2 tsp good, pure vanilla extract. you could also add 1 tbsp dutched cocoa powder to the egg yolk and add 2 ounces melted bittersweet chocolate when you add the tempered egg yolk to the pot. other potential flavorants: maple syrup, irish cream liqueur, instant espresso powder, fruit purées -- use your imagination.