Mimosas are typically the stuff of brunches, weddings, and fancy celebrations the world over. Even the word itself rolls off the tongue with a jubilant flourish, sparkling as brightly as the effervescent alcohol within.
The Universal Appeal of Mimosas
So light, so inoffensive, it’s more symbolic than it is a memorable taste sensation. To refuse a slender flute of champagne is to abstain from the party, to turn down a glass of merriment and good cheer. Simply watching the bubbles stream upwards, breaching at the meniscus in rapid succession, makes me feel as though as I could just as easily begin to float, too.
Making a Mimosa Dessert
Mimosas have such a unique, delicate character that it doesn’t typically translate well to dessert interpretations. Sure, you can call it a “mimosa cake,” but I promise you it will only taste like oranges. Instead of baking it into submission, I wanted a simpler approach that kept the essence of the drink intact, conveying that same celebratory sentiment with just a little added sweetness.
You’d be hard pressed to find a more elegant dessert for either New Year’s Eve or Day that required less effort. Chewy pearls of tapioca mimic the bubbles of the original inspiration, adding a creamy custard element to the traditional tipple.
Cheers to the New Year
The only catch is that you’ll need to remain clear-headed enough to start preparing this recipe in advance, as the tapioca pearls need ample time to soak and soften. Worst comes to worst, you can toss the soaked pearls into the fridge and let them chill out for up to a week. If you forget to cook them altogether and just end up drinking the bottle of champagne straight, well… I certainly won’t judge. There’s always next year.
Mimosa Tapioca Pudding
Chewy pearls of tapioca pearls mimic the bubbles of the original mimosa cocktail, adding a creamy custard element to the traditional tipple.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Large Pearl Tapioca
- 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- 1/2 Cups Champagne*
- 1/3 Cup Orange Juice
- 1 Teaspoon Orange Zest
- 3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Arrowroot
- 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 - 3 Mandarin Oranges, Segmented
- Fresh Mint Leaves (Optional)
Instructions
- Place the tapioca pearls in a medium bowl and cover with ample warm water; at least 1 cup. Cover and let soak overnight, or at least 8 hours, before proceeding.
- Drain and rinse the soaked pearls thoroughly. Place them in a small saucepan along with the non-dairy milk, champagne, orange juice, zest, sugar, arrowroot, and salt.
- Whisk vigorously to break up any clumps of starch that may form before turning on the heat to medium-low. Slowly bring the liquid up to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking and burning on the sides or bottom of the pan.
- Once the mixture is rapidly boiling and significantly thickened, turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Divide the hot pudding between 3 – 4 champagne flutes and let cool to room temperature before transferring the glasses into the fridge.
- Chill thoroughly, at least three hours, and top with mandarin orange segments and fresh mint before serving, if desired.
Notes
*For a non-alcoholic treat, try substituting either tonic water or plain kombucha.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 188Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 83mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 3gSugar: 29gProtein: 2g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.
Fantastic, I love tapioca to begin with and this sounds like a great idea. Thank you for sharing!
This looks perfect right about now. We are sweltering here in Tasmania with no signs that it is going to let up. I can’t think of anything better than this for breakfast, lunch and dinner at this time of year. Happy New Year Hannah. 2016 is going to be an amazing year for us all :)
What a stunning and delicious idea Hannah! Believe it or not, I’ve never had tapioca pudding. I may need to start with this. Pinned!
Such a perfect dessert idea! I’m a champagne fan and I love a good mimosa.
Awesome! I’ll be trying this out!
Wonderful. I adore tapioca, and so does my husband. It goes without saying we also enjoy champagne. Best wishes to you for a wonderful 2016!
This sounds like a wonderful drink but I still prefer a good glass of my favorite Champagne, you know! xxx
I’m not much of a drinker myself, not even champagne. But oh what an inspired idea to turn mimosa into tapioca pudding! Now that is something to toast. :-) Happy new year!
That does sound delicious – it’s not often that I have champagne in need of using up, so I’ll have to go out and get some prosecco instead!
Wow, never tried using tapioca, such a great idea! Thanks and happy New Year!