Great Gatherings: Classic Holiday Dinner

Indian Pudding Pie

Indian Pudding is a lovely old Yankee fall dessert: full of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon. We decided to try this cornmeal-based pudding as a pie filling. It’s a great alternative to standard pumpkin pie.

Deep-Dish Pie Crust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces, or shortening
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 to 2 teaspoons turbinado (raw) sugar

Filling:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Turbinado sugar
• Maple Whipped Cream:
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Ground cinnamon

Deep-Dish Pie Crust:
Preheat oven to 450°F. In large bowl stir together flour and salt. Using pastry blender, cut in shortening and butter until pieces are pea size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon water over part of flour mixture; toss with fork. Push moistened pastry to side of bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of water at time, until flour mixture is moistened. Gather flour mixture into ball, kneading gently until it holds together.

On lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten pastry ball. Roll it from center to edges into circle 14 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry circle around rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch deep- dish pie plate. Ease pastry, being careful not to stretch it, into pie plate. Trim pastry 1/2 inch beyond rim of pie plate, reserving trimmings. Fold under extra pastry even with plate's edge. Crimp edge high. Prick bottom of crust in several places. Roll pastry trimmings on floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into maple leaves with small maple leaf cutter; transfer to baking sheet. Brush lightly with water and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Line pastry with double thickness of foil. Bake 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 5 to 6 minutes more until crust is set and dry. Cool on wire rack. Bake leaves until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Filling:
Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. In small bowl, mix together sugar, ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In medium saucepan, heat 2 cups milk to simmer. Stir in cornmeal, a little at a time, until combined. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat. Stir sugar mixture into cornmeal mixture. Place eggs in large bowl; beat lightly. Gradually stir hot cornmeal mixture into eggs; set aside.

In another medium saucepan stir together molasses and remaining 1 cup milk. Cook and stir until bubbly. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes more. (Mixture will be foamy and may appear curdled.) Whisk molasses mixture into cornmeal mixture; set aside. In small bowl beat egg whites with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold into cornmeal mixture. Pour filling into baked pastry shell. (Pastry will be very full.) Bake for 45 minutes or until slightly puffed and set. Pie will fall slightly on cooling.

Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Chill pie for 2 hours before serving. Drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Top with maple leaf cutouts. Sprinkle pie with additional turbinado sugar.

For Maple Whipped Cream:
In medium bowl beat whipping cream and remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup to stiff peaks; place dollop atop each pie slice. If desired, sprinkle cinnamon over cream. Makes 8 servings.