I have some very fond memories of Indian Pudding. I was introduced to it by my late mother-in-law who made it from scratch. It was a real treat for me every time she made it. She has been gone for about 14 years and I don’t think that I have had it since. Perhaps it’s time.

What is Indian Pudding?

Indian pudding is a classic New England dessert, which, according to culinary lore, dates back to the Pilgrims. Indian pudding is a baked custard with milk, butter, molasses, eggs, spices, and cornmeal. The name is likely derived from the cornmeal, which was known as Indian meal way back when.

Although pudding is a popular dessert and is widely considered to be French, both Spain and England also claim that the classic pudding originated in their countries. Despite the claims to the origin, pudding is certainly a British invention that was developed from the sausages the Romans brought into the country in the first century BC. The word pudding comes from the Latin word botellus, which means literally sausage; the French word boudin has the same root, which helps contribute to the confusion.

Despite the name Indian Pudding, it is not a traditional native dish.  Native Americans had neither milk nor molasses to use in their cooking.

 

The History of Indian Pudding

Indian pudding is one of the country’s first truly American recipes. Early colonists brought with them to America “hasty pudding” made by boiling wheat flour in water or milk until it thickened into porridge. Since wheat flour was scarce in the new world, hasty-pudding-deprived settlers adapted by using native cornmeal, dubbed “Indian flour,” and flavoring the resulting mush to be either sweet (with maple syrup or molasses) or savory (with drippings or salted meat).

In time, the dish evolved into one that was resoundingly sweet, with lots of molasses and additional ingredients like butter, cinnamon, ginger, eggs, and sometimes even raisins or nuts. Because New England was a stop in the “Triangle Trade” route of the 18^th century, New Englanders found themselves with an abundance of molasses on their hands.

Indian pudding began officially appearing in American cookbooks in the late 1700’s. Early methods called for the dish to be cooked in a “slow” oven, meaning at a low temperature, for a long period of time. The pudding dish was placed in a large, shallow pan, into which a shallow amount of water was added. The water insulated the dish so it would cook very gently during its long cooking time.

The proverb “The proof of the pudding’s in the eating” dates back to at least the 17th century. In the American colonies, they were likely referring to Indian Pudding.

Indian pudding got a new resurgence during the Great Depression. Pudding chômeur (or pouding chômeur) was supposedly created in Quebec by female factory workers. They called it “poor man’s pudding” or “pudding of the unemployed,”. It was made with inexpensive ingredients or pantry items that people already had on hand.

 

Mémère’s Recipe For Indian Pudding

 

Ingredients

4 cups Milk

1/2 cup Corn meal

1/3 cup Brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup Molasses

1 tsp salt

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp Ground ginger

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Freshly grated nutmeg

 

Directions:

1. Pre heat oven to 275F
2. Heat 2 cups of milk until very hot pour slowly over corn meal stirring constantly. Cook in a double boiler for 10-15 minutes, until the cornmeal is creamy.
3. Add the remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture into a well buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.
4. Pour the remaining milk over the top (Trust the process. Excess milk it will be absorbed).
5. Place into a double boiler and bake for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. The pudding will firm as it cools.
6. To serve warm in 275F degree oven for 15 – 20 minutes spoon into a dish and serve with whipped cream or ice cream (vanilla is preferred).
7. Enjoy!

 

I hope you take the time to try this recipe. Some dishes invoke a host of memories. This is one of them for me. I haven’t had Indian Pudding now in over 14 years. I think it’s time to open a new chapter of memories. Let us know if you have any fond memories about eating or making Indian Pudding.