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A scoop taken out of a baked tapioca pudding to show the sago pearls inside.

Baked Tapioca Pudding

Author: Gail Ng
Custard tapioca pudding baked under a crisp pineapple bun crust - baked tapioca pudding like the ones served at Chinese restaurants!
5 from 40 votes
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Yield 6 servings
Category Dessert
Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients
  

Crust Topping

  • 220 g all-purpose flour
  • 25 g milk powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 135 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 135 g granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Tapioca Pudding

  • 100 g uncooked tapioca pearls (sago)
  • 350 g milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 30 g cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Egg Wash

  • 1 large egg, beaten

Instructions
 

Crust Topping

  • In a small bowl, stir together flour, milk powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, use a spatula or whisk to cream the softened butter with the granulated sugar until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix again until it forms a soft dough.
  • Place the dough in between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about ⅛"-¼" thick. Let this chill in the fridge laying flat until solid, about 1 hour.

Tapioca Pudding

  • Fill a medium pot full with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in the tapioca pearls and give it a stir. Boil for 15 minutes until the tapioca is mostly translucent with a tiny dot of white in the middle. Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes until the tapioca are completely translucent.
  • Drain the tapioca pearls in a fine mesh sieve and keep submerged in cold water until ready to use.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
  • In a small pot, heat milk on medium heat until small bubbles start coming to the surface and it just starts simmering. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking quickly and constantly with your other hand to temper the eggs.
  • Pour the entire mixture back into the pot and return it to low-medium heat. Continue whisking the mixture constantly until it thickens into a custard consistency, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove the custard from the heat. Add the drained tapioca pearls and stir to combine. Transfer this whole mixture to an 8-9" baking dish.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Take your rolled out crust topping out of the fridge and peel off the parchment paper. Place the dough on top of the tapioca in the baking dish. Use a knife to trim off any overhanging excess.
  • Use a knife to score a diamond pattern on top of the crust. Brush a light layer of beaten egg on the crust.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let the baked tapioca pudding cool on a wire rack for at least 20-30 minutes so the filling can set before serving warm.

Notes

Note: This recipe for the crust topping makes more than enough to cover 1 baking dish to avoid splitting the egg amount. You can re-roll the scraps for another tapioca pudding or store it in the fridge or freezer for another time.
Optional filling: Add a layer of taro paste, black sesame paste, red bean paste, or chestnut paste in the middle of the tapioca pudding. Fill the baking dish with half of the tapioca custard, spread the filling on top in an even layer, and top with the rest of the custard.

Nutrition

Calories: 630kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 854IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 3mg
Keywords baked sago pudding, baked tapioca pudding
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