Indian Pudding

So I've been feeling a little nostalgic lately.  My Granny used to make Indian Pudding for me on Thanksgiving.  I'd never made it before, but I have her Joy of Cooking so I thought why not give it a try.  And since I am making a berry pie for Thanksgiving dinner I thought Indian pudding would be a good second dessert, then we could cover both the fruit and spice flavors.  I have to admit that I wasn't as happy with the outcome as I had hoped to be.  It just didn't taste quite right.  Typical right?  Nothing ever tastes quite as good as it did when someone special made it for you.  Here is the recipe - right from Gran's Joy of Cooking (she even had an x next to the raisins - I hate raisins) I'll put in italics what I think might improve the flavor.  As is it has a very strong molasses flavor, which is good, but for me it needed to be cut with vanilla ice cream.

4 cups milk (use whole)
1/3 cup corn meal
3/4 cup dark molasses I think a 1/2 cup would be plenty, maybe just 1/3 - I'll give it a shot and report back
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbls sugar
1 well beaten egg

Preheat oven to 300

In the top of a double boiler, over boiling water, bring milk to a boil.  Stir in cornmeal.  Cook for about 15 minutes.  Stir in molasses and cook for about 5 minutes.

My makeshift double boiler.  And my freaky hand...

 

Gran's measuring cup - makes better cakes!

Remove from heat and stir in butter, salt, sugar and spices.  Now the Joy of Cooking didn't tell me to do this but hot liquid and eggs can sometimes equal bad news.  I took a couple of spoonfulls of the milk mixture and stirred it into the eggs to temper them before I mixed them into the big bowl.  

Pour the mixture into a well buttered baking dish.  I used an 8x8 ceramic baking dish and two ramekins.  I used the ramekins so that I could sample with out making a crater in the big pudding.  If you had eight ramekins you could just use those, and then you would have a shorter baking time.

Into the oven for 1 1/2 (ramekins) to 2 1/4 (8x8 dish) hours.  Or until the center isn't wobbly.  Serve hot with vanilla ice cream. 

 

So If you like a super strong molasses flavor this recipe, as is, is the one for you.  As for me I will do a little adjusting and get back to you.  I hope you have some special family dishes/recipes and memories to share for your Thanksgiving!