Ingredients:

  • 4 cups whole milk, divided
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup dark molasses
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and grease a 2-quart ceramic baking dish.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan, bring 3 cups of the whole milk to a gentle simmer over medium heat until small bubbles appear at the edges.
  3. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal and salt. Continue cooking for 15 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture is thick and smooth.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the molasses, brown sugar, butter, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg until the mixture is glossy and uniform.
  5. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Temper the eggs by slowly drizzling a half-cup of the warm cornmeal mixture into them while whisking constantly.
  6. Whisk the tempered egg mixture back into the main saucepan until smooth, then pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
  7. Pour the remaining 1 cup of cold milk over the top of the pudding. Do not stir; this creates the signature soft custard layer.
  8. Bake for 3 hours until the pudding is dark mahogany and the center is set but still has a slight wobble. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.