Try a new (and healthy!) treat this Christmas.
- ½ cup yellow (enriched) cornmeal
- 5 cups reduced-fat (2 percent) milk, scalded (see note)
- ½ cup molasses
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups fruit — fresh, frozen, or canned
- Preheat oven to 300° F. Coat a baking pan or casserole with cooking oil spray.
- Put cornmeal in top of a double boiler and hot water in the bottom pot. Set over medium high heat and bring water to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, scald the milk (see note) and then stir into the cornmeal, blending well. Cook over hot water for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add molasses, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
- Pour into baking pan and bake 2 to 2 ½ hours.
- Meanwhile, prepare fruit. Depending on what version you use, drain canned fruit, defrost frozen berries, or wash and hull fresh berries, and lightly sweeten with sugar.
- Divide pudding among six wide and shallow bowls. Place two or more varieties of fruit along the edge of the pudding, in concentric circles, placing lighter colored fruit (like peaches and strawberries) on the inside, and darker-colored fruit (like cranberries and blueberries) on the outside.NOTE: Scalding milk helps blend cornmeal more easily and speeds the cooking process. Scald milk by heating it to the point just before it would begin to boil, or when tiny bubbles form along the sides. At that point, immediately remove from heat and promptly add to cornmeal.
