Soak the tapioca in cold water for 4 or 5 hours before making the dessert, and then drain off all the water. Heat the milk in a double boiler, stir the tapioca into the hot milk, and cook until it is thick and transparent, being sure that none of the centers are uncooked. Add the sugar and salt. Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. Beat the yolks, mix a small amount of the hot tapioca with them, and stir into the tapioca in the double boiler. Stir until the eggs have thickened and then remove from the fire. Beat the whites until they are stiff and fold, with the vanilla, into the tapioca. Cool and serve.

37. TAPIOCA CUSTARD.--If something different in the way of a tapioca dessert is desired, tapioca custard will no doubt be very acceptable. This dessert has the consistency of a baked custard containing tapioca, and in preparation and proportion that is really what it is.

TAPIOCA CUSTARD

(

Sufficient to Serve Six

)

Soak the tapioca for 4 or 5 hours and drain off the water. Cook the tapioca and the milk in a double boiler until it is transparent and remove from the fire. Beat the eggs and to them add the sugar, salt, and vanilla, and stir this into the tapioca. Turn into a buttered baking dish and bake until the custard mixture is set. Cool and serve.

38. MINUTE-TAPIOCA CUSTARD.--Minute tapioca does not require soaking nor as long cooking as pearl tapioca, for the pieces of tapioca being much smaller may be more quickly penetrated by both heat and moisture. Then, too, a smaller proportion of it is required to thicken the same amount of milk.