Homemade Tapioca Pudding

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup medium pearl tapioca
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 egg yolks

Directions

1. Put the tapioca into a roomy bowl and pour in a quart of cold water. Cover the bowl, then let the pearls hydrate for at least 12 hours. When you are ready to cook, tip everything into a fine mesh strainer, let the water run off, and keep the softened tapioca nearby.
2. In a large saucepan, stir together 1/2 cup sugar, the salt, vanilla, and the milk, then leave it off the heat. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs with the yolks until blended. Sprinkle in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar gradually, whisking the whole time, and continue until the mixture turns pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Set the bowl aside.
3. Set the saucepan with the milk mixture on low heat and warm it until it reaches a simmer. When bubbles start to appear, take the pan off the heat. To temper, whisk the egg mixture without stopping while you drizzle in the hot milk mixture gradually.
4. After the milk mixture and egg mixture are fully blended, transfer the custard to the same saucepan and stir in the tapioca. Cook over low heat, whisking the entire time. The pudding will slowly get thicker; the pearls tell you when it is ready, turning translucent while keeping a small cloudy center. It may still seem loose, but it will take up more liquid as it cools. Pour the pudding into a bowl, lay plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.