CORNMEAL PUDDING

Cornmeal Pudding image

This simple and delicious cornmeal pudding, which colonial Americans called Indian pudding, is essentially baked polenta sweetened with molasses and spiked with spices.

Provided by Mark Bittman

Categories dessert

Time 3h30m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, more for greasing pan

Steps:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, put 31/2 cups milk. Add molasses and sugar, and stir; when they are incorporated, turn heat to low. Heat oven to 300 degrees.
Slowly sprinkle cornmeal over warm milk mixture, stirring or whisking all the while; break up any lumps. When mixture thickens after 10 minutes or so, stir in all remaining ingredients, except for the remaining milk, and turn off heat.
Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish or similar size gratin dish and turn warm mixture into it; top with remaining 1/2 cup milk; do not stir. Bake 21/2 to 3 hours, or until pudding is set. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature. Wrapped well and refrigerated, this keeps for several days.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 378, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 65 grams, Fat 11 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 6 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 276 milligrams, Sugar 54 grams, TransFat 0 grams