Sweet Corn Pudding (Indian Pudding)

This dessert had its roots in Colonial America, where it was called Indian Pudding. Indigenous people of America were not known to make it, rather the colonists gave it that name because it used corn meal, and corn was most definitely a gift from the Native Americans. According to various food historians, this dish is a version of the English Hasty Pudding. It is delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

3 cups milk or plant milk – we used oat milk

½ cup of yellow cornmeal

2 eggs, room temperature

⅓ cup molasses

¼ firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons of butter or dairy free butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½  teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon baking soda

A pinch of salt

Optional – Vanilla Ice Cream, or Whipped Cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a 2 quart baking dish and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk. Reduce heat to to low and whisk in cornmeal, stirring frequently. Mixture will thicken as it cooks – about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.

Break eggs into a small bowl and beat thoroughly. Temper the eggs by slowly adding the milk/cornmeal mixture to the eggs in small amounts and stirring constantly. Once you’ve mixed in at least a cup, add the mixture in the bowl back into the saucepan.

Add the molasses, brown sugar, butter, spices, baking soda, and salt. Stir until thoroughly blended. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake for an hour – an hour and 15 minutes. The sides of the pudding will be set but the center will still be soft. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!