Indian Pudding # 1

3 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup (lightly packed) light brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger

4 large eggs

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F). Lightly grease a 6- or 8-cup soufflé dish with butter.

Scald the milk in a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat.

While the milk is heating, pour the cream into a medium- sized bowl and stir in the cornmeal, sugar, molasses, salt, and spices.
Add the cornmeal mixture to the scalded milk and cook, whisking constantly over medium-low heat until the pudding has thickened to the consistency of syrup, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Beat the eggs in a small bowl with a whisk. Add 1/2 cup of the hot cornmeal mixture to the eggs while whisking rapidly. Then vigorously whisk the egg mixture into the remaining cornmeal mixture. Add the butter and stir until it melts.

Pour the pudding into the prepared baking dish, and place the dish in a shallow baking pan on the center oven rack. Pour enough hot water into the larger pan to come two-thirds of the way up the sides of the pudding baking dish.

Bake until set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 1-1/4 hours.

Remove the pudding from the water bath and cool slightly.  Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or heavy cream spooned over the top.  Makes 10 servings.