95. Indian Pudding: Combine 3 cups of milk and

95. Indian Pudding: Combine 3 cups of milk and 1/3 cup of cornmeal in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; stir in 1/3 cup of molasses, 1 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ginger and ½ teaspoon cinnamon and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and stir until melted. Pour pudding into buttered baking dish and bake at 300 degrees for about 2 hours, uncovered, until golden brown and set in the middle. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Stirred sternly, this mixture took on the texture and the color of pumpkin pie filling.  It began to spit and burble like a pot of grits (which, in a somewhat removed way, it was), and I decided it had done its time.  Into the oven with it.
I think I overbaked this.  Just the barest firmness across the top, like a good cheesecake, is what is needed.  Mine was stiffly set.  I also think I chose the wrong cooking vessel.  I used a glass pie dish.  Serviceable, sturdy, but too wide.  The pudding came out an odd inch or so thick.  A deep mass of wobbly richness would have been preferable.

Despite these fallbacks, it was still very, very good.  Perhaps it was the color and the texture, but it really did remind me of crustless pumpkin pie.  The cornmeal and milk became a custard, and the rich deepness of molasses and autumnal spices left me wanting to douse this with a healthy dollop of Reddi-whip.  I settled for vanilla ice cream instead.