This, right here, is the best Indian pudding in the world. I adapted this classic Yankee recipe from The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer (originally published in 1896). I think it’s even better than Durgin-Park’s famed Indian pudding, but don’t say anything because I don’t want to get yelled at. (Do they still yell at people over there anymore?) My version uses a combination of molasses and maple syrup as well as ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The consistency is very soft and is meant to whey a bit (meaning some liquid separates from the pudding—I like to call it sauce). Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream melting all over it in shallow, milky pools. Dreamy!
Indian Pudding
No Indians were harmed in the making of this pudding.
4 cups milk
½ cup cornmeal
2 Tbsp. butter
½ cup molasses
½ cup maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
Pinch nutmeg
2 eggs, well beaten
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
In a medium pot, bring milk to a gentle simmer. Very slowly whisk in cornmeal briskly to prevent clumping. Cook for 20 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain a gentle simmer, until mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon well. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter, molasses, maple syrup, salt, and spices until well blended. Temper the eggs, meaning slowly whisk in about ¼ cup of the hot pudding mixture to the beaten eggs, then return tempered mixture to the pot. This prevents the eggs from scrambling.
Pour mixture into a buttered casserole dish and bake about 1½ hours, until center is set (the center will still be soft, but you don’t want it to look liquidy). Some recipes call for a water bath (i.e., set the casserole dish in a larger pan, then pour boiling water into the outer pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the pudding dish), but I’ll be honest, I don’t bother. This right here is the Indian pudding of my childhood. Let sit at least 20 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream.
Local Sources:
Milk: Our Family Farms of Massachusetts, Greenfield, MA
Cornmeal: Winter Moon Organic Farm, Hadley, MA
Butter: Mendon Creamery, Mendon, MA
Maple syrup: Williams Farm Sugarhouse, Old Deerfield, MA
Eggs: Chip-In Farm, Bedford, MA
That looks so good! And I think the answer is yes, they do still yell at people at Durgin Park . . . .
Posted by: Sarah @ Semi-Sweet | April 22, 2010 at 03:27 PM
Do I like Indian Pudding? Is it Indian Pudding that makes me puke... or Flan? Or butterscotch? Crap... looks like I'm going to have to make this recipe and find out.
Posted by: Sis | April 23, 2010 at 09:48 PM
How much maple syrup? I think some of the measurement is missing.
Posted by: Blaine | April 24, 2010 at 08:36 AM
It has been years since I had Indian Pudding! I loved it as a child growing up outside of Hartford. Both my parents were from Vermont and understood the value of a good Indian Pudding!
Posted by: Kel | April 24, 2010 at 01:22 PM
No Indians were harmed in the making of this pudding.
classic.
Posted by: 0nthefritz | December 08, 2010 at 04:05 PM
i would like permission to reprint this recipe in our newspaper, Mazina'igan. It is a tribal newspaper that comes out three times annually.
Posted by: Sue Erickson | March 30, 2011 at 02:34 PM
Sue: Permission granted! Please credit Tammy Donroe, Food on the Food! Enjoy!
Posted by: Tammy | March 30, 2011 at 03:30 PM
I don't know, Durgin-Park's is OK but my vote goes to the kitchen staff at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge...also Colonial Inn in Concord is very fine. I don't think you have to endure staff brusqueness (at D-P) to enjoy Indian Pudding.
Posted by: Doug | September 13, 2011 at 12:45 PM
What type of milk do you recommend for the recipe?? I am guessing skim would be very different than whole...
Posted by: Chris | October 26, 2011 at 04:36 PM
I am inspired to prepare and indulge in Indian pudding for the first time!
Posted by: Jennie | November 23, 2011 at 09:06 PM
I've never tasted indian pudding. I guess I will have to try it :)
Posted by: Esta Serrin | January 31, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Just served your Indian pudding to Mom for her 86th birthday. We all loved it! It's a keeper!It was even better than what we had at Durgin Park in '83 when we did the Freedom Trail together!I used 2% milk, by the way.
Posted by: Judy Sacca | February 21, 2012 at 08:27 PM
Found this recipe in January when I was craving indian pudding and oh did it hit the spot! I have made it four time since then! I am wondering if I can double the recipe?
Posted by: Janet James | March 16, 2012 at 07:10 PM
Janet: So glad you enjoyed it! I've never doubled the recipe, but I'm sure you could. Just be sure to increase the baking time some.
Judy: Glad it was a hit! Happy birthday to your mom!
Posted by: Tammy | March 17, 2012 at 01:32 PM
Never made Indian Pudding. Thinking about giving it a try. Looks DELISH!
Posted by: Ivanna | June 08, 2012 at 03:22 PM