This is a favorite Thanksgiving Dessert. It’s pretty labor intensive but oh, so good on a chilly Thanksgiving day.

New England Hasty Pudding

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups half and half
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and butter a 2 qt casserole. Have a larger pan the casserole can fit into for a water bath for baking.
2. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl, whisk together, and set aside.
3. Pur the milk, half and half, sugar, molasses, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring it just below the scalding point (not quite to a simmer), stirring almost constantly to dissolve and blend everything together.
4. When the mixture is hot but not boiling, sprinkle in the cornmeal while whisking. When all the cornmeal is incorporated, cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.
5. Pour about half of the hot cornmeal into the beaten eggs, whisking while you do this. Pour that mixture back into the saucepan while whisking.
6. Turn the heat down and cook the cornmeal for another 3 minutes (set a timer). Stir constantly, and don’t leave it…it will scorch.
7. Stir in the vanilla and turn the mixture into your prepared casserole. Set the dish in a larger pan and add very hot water to at least an inch depth or about half-way up the sides of your casserole.
8. Bake for 45 minutes.
9. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.