Coconut Lilac Tapioca

I have always loved tapioca, whether it is in the form of a pudding, a soupy-like dessert or in bubble tea. Coconut Lilac Tapioca has the perfect balance of textures with the creaminess from the coconut milk and the crunch from the lilacs and tapioca. This stunning tapioca, with subtle flavors from the coconut milk and lilacs, is an enchanting and decadent springtime dessert.

                                                   Coconut Lilac Tapioca
                                                            adapted from
                                                    Cooking with Flowers
                                                            Miche Bacher

Ingredients
1/2 cup large pearl tapioca
2 (14-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup lilac blossoms
About 36 fresh and/or candied lilacs for topping

Directions
1. Soak tapioca in coconut milk for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to make sure you end up with individual bouncy nuggets rather than a solid lump of tapioca.

2. Combine milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a fast simmer. Stir in tapioca and bring to a boil.

3. Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for about an hour, or until tapioca turns soft and translucent. Let pudding cool before stirring in lilac blossoms. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 1 week. Serve topped with lilac blackberry syrup or candied lilacs, if desired.

follow Anne on twitter or Instagram @AnneFretz