Kate's Low Fat Indian Pudding Sweetened With Honey and Molasses

A mixture of honey and molasses naturally sweetens this Indian Pudding. Originally, Indian Pudding was made only with cornmeal and molasses, but the addition of eggs gives it a creamier quality.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 8 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  eggs
• 3  tablespoons honey
• 1  tablespoon molasses
• 1⁄4 cup cornmeal
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4  cups 1% low-fat milk
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 225F degrees. Thoroughly grease a 1 3/4 to 2 quart casserole dish with shortening. Note: Shortening is better for greasing than spray, oil, or butter because the honey tends to stick and burn easily during the long baking time.
2. Stir together eggs, honey, and molasses in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine cornmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. In a large saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Whisk in cornmeal mixture slowly, stirring constantly. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly stir in at least half of hot mixture into egg mixture. Add egg mixture back to hot cornmeal mixture, stirring to combine. Bring back up to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
5. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, at 225F degrees for 3 hours to 3 hours 45 minutes, stirring every 45 minutes during baking, making sure to scrape bottom of dish (The more shallow the dish is the less baking time is required. My dish is 6.5" by 6.5" by 3.5" so it takes 3 hours 30 minutes.) Mixture will be moist, creamy, and loose- not solid like a custard or pumpkin pie. Pour into dessert cups or bowls. Serve hot or cold. May be eaten plain or topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. If serving cold, place plastic wrap directly onto surface of pudding to prevent a tough layer from forming (I like mine cold; refrigerating causes it to firm up.) Store in refrigerator.
6. Note: Do not try to lessen the baking time by raising the oven temperature to 250F degrees because I did this once and ended up scorching the pudding because the honey burns really easily.