Serve this cornmeal pudding warm with vanilla ice cream for breakfast, dessert, or as a midnight snack.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8

• 5 cups milk
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoon ground dried ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup currants
• 1 cup corn kernels, fresh if possible
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9″ × 9″ baking dish and set aside.

2. Scald (heat to just under a boil — when steam starts to rise, reduce to low) 1 cup of the milk in a saucepan, add cornmeal, and stir over medium heat until it thickens. Remove from heat.

3. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the cream and 1 cup milk, to the cooked cornmeal. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

4. Pour the cream and 1 cup milk over the top of the mixture to prevent a skin from forming during baking.

5. Bake uncovered for ½ hour. Stir the cream and milk on the top into the pudding; bake for ½ hour more.