Indian Pudding From Old Sturbridge Village Cookbook Recipes

INDIAN PUDDING - FROM OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE COOKBOOK

Steps:

• 1. Modern Method: Heat milk to boiling point. Add cornmeal and salt and stir well.
• 2. Add molasses and spices, stirring to blend.
• 3. Pour into buttered 2 quart baking dish and add cold milk.
• 4. Bake in a 325° oven for 2 hours. Serve warm.
• 5. Hearth Method: Heat milk in a shallow pottery baking dish on a trivet over coals. Add cornmeal and salt and stir well.
• 6. Remove from heat. Add molasses and spices, stirring to blend.
• 7. Add 1/2 cup cold milk.
• 8. Bake for 4 to 5 hours in a brick oven. (The longer cooking period is necessary because the oven cools as time passes.) If a Dutch oven is used, bake 2 - 2 1/2 hours. (Note: I place my baking dish on a trivet inside my Dutch oven. This allows the hot air inside the oven to circulate all around the dish and to help bake it evenly.) Add fresh coals two or three times during baking. Serve Warm.

MARLBOROUGH PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. If using fresh apples: squeeze the lemon and grate peel into large bowl. Grate apples into lemon juice and toss to coat apples to prevent darkening. Pour sugar over fruit and mix well. Line deep, 8-inch pie plate with puff pastry. Beat eggs until light. Cream butter until soft and add eggs, blending well. Stir butter and egg mixture into sweetened fruit and spoon into pie plate. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 45 minutes more or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before serving.

MY BEST AND EASY INDIAN PUDDING

Steps:

• Using a non stick (or heavy bottomed) sauce pan add milk and heat on medium heat until nearly bubbling at the edges and steaming.
• Slowly whisk in the meal and whisk slowly until the meal is suspended in the milk, meaning none hanging out at the bottom of the pot. Continue whisking off and on until it reaches a medium thick hot cereal consistency. Again you *can* walk away and whisk every 5 minutes or so.
• Turn stove to low heat and continue to whisk off and on while it thickens. No need to be afraid. I have left it unattended for over 10 minutes and it will not scorch, lump or stick.
• When it reaches 'thick hot cereal' stage, stir in remaining ingredients. I usually whisk. Mix well to combine evenly.
• Leave pudding on low, stirring/whisking occasionally until thickened a bit more; 10-15 minutes approximately.
• Turn off heat and let the pan sit until it has cooled down half way, then cover with the lid and let it 'set.' Times will vary with setting. Last night it was 15 minutes or so and in 2 hours I could upturn the pan. Refrigerate and reheat gently; I use the microwave for individual servings.
• I used the high end of the cook time and will depend on your corn meal, heat of stove, etc -- I have seen many recipes making this pudding appear scary; stand at stove and never stop whisking the entire time. Fiddley sticks!

OLD-FASHIONED INDIAN PUDDING

Steps:

• Put the scalded milk and corn meal in the top of a double boiler over boiling water. Add the salt and cook, stirring frequently for about 20 minutes. Mix with the molasses and ginger and pour into a buttered 2-quart soufflè dish or baking dish. Bake in a 300°F. oven for about 2 hours. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.