Indian Pudding

Ingredients

• 6 cups whole milk
• 2/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup dark molasses
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup heavy cream, for pouring
• Vanilla ice cream for serving

Before you cook

• Heat the oven to 275°F and butter a 2-quart baking dish.
• Beat the eggs in a small bowl.
• Measure out the cornmeal so it is ready to add in a steady stream.

Steps

1. Heat 4 cups of the milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until it steams and small bubbles form at the edge.
2. Pour the cornmeal into the hot milk in a slow stream, whisking constantly so no lumps form.
3. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, whisking often, until it is as thick as loose porridge.
4. Stir in the molasses, butter, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
5. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes so the eggs will not scramble.
6. Whisk about a cup of the warm cornmeal mixture into the beaten eggs.
7. Stir the tempered eggs back into the saucepan until the batter is smooth.
8. Pour the pudding into the buttered baking dish.
9. Pour the remaining 2 cups of cold milk over the surface without stirring it in, which is what gives the pudding its soft, layered set.
10. Bake for 2 1/2 hours, until the pudding is set at the edges and still trembles slightly in the center.
11. Let the pudding rest for 20 minutes before serving.
12. Spoon it warm into bowls with heavy cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.