Baked Indian Pudding with Cornmeal and Molasses

Slow-baked cornmeal pudding thickens with milk and deep molasses, warmed by ginger and cinnamon. It echoes the banked brick-oven heat of Molasses for the Silent Sabbath, when Puritan kitchens cooked ahead for a fireless day of rest.

Serves 6

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 4 cups milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. 1Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a 2-quart baking dish.
2. 2In a saucepan, scald milk, then slowly whisk in the cornmeal and cook over low heat for 10 minutes until thickened.
3. 3Remove from heat and stir in the molasses, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and butter until fully incorporated.
4. 4Beat the egg into the remaining cold milk, then stir it into the cornmeal mixture.
5. 5Pour into the prepared dish and bake uncovered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the pudding is set and the top is lightly crusted. Serve warm.