Tapioca Pudding

I know, it would have been just as easy and probably cheaper to head down to the grocery store and buy some Hunt's Tapioca Pudding... but I'm lazy, shiver at the thought of driving around on an almost empty tank, and just had to use up some of the ingredients hanging around my house.

Tapioca Pudding

Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp milk (thickening) slurry
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup condensed milk
- 2 1/2 tbsp dried tapioca pearls
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:
1. Combine cornstarch and milk in a saucepan and mix until conrstarch is dissolved.

2. Slowly add in the tapioca pearls and continue to cook them until just underdone (not fully transparent, and still slightly chewy)

3. Add in the salt and the condensed milk, continue to cook over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens to a "slightly thinner than pudding" stage.

4. Add in vanilla extract, continue to cook pudding until tapioca pearls are fully cooked. Remove saucepan from heat and let stand at room temperature until cooled and nicely thickened.

5. Serve warm or chilled.

The pudding was very sweet, almost too sweet... but truthfully, I love all things sweet... I could almost eat sugar as-is :P (Bad I know) This pudding, although sweet, was enjoyed by all in my household. The vanilla and milk, dilute the intense flavor of the condensed milk and make this one of the best tapioca puddings I had ever eaten. The recipe's so simple, I can't believe I haven't tried making it sooner. No more Kozy Shack Pudding for this family :P