Grapenut Pudding

A classic New England favorite, I have been loving Grapenut Pudding all my life. This is the dessert I made with Kathe Rabbitt the other night to complete our Blue Plate Special Meatloaf extravaganza. It goes together very easily and if you serve without ice cream or whipped cream is actually quite healthy!  Hint: It’s better with the topping!

Ingredients:
1 quart milk, scalded
1 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
4 large eggs
Scant 1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla (Sounds like a lot, but is the right amount.)
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Water for the hot water bath.

Here’s Kathe popping the Grapenut pudding into the oven.

Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl pour scalded milk (To scald the milk, heat in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat until a skin forms. Pull off skin with your fingers and discard.) over Grape-Nuts and let sit 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. butter to the milk so it melts. In a second medium-sized bowl, with a whisk beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the egg mixture to milk and Grape-Nuts and stir well.  Pour into a buttered 2 quart casserole dish. Generously grate nutmeg over the top (or use ground nutmeg). Place the casserole into a deep roasting pan. Place in the oven and pour water into the roasting pan enough to reach halfway up the side of the casserole. (This gives the custard a soft, creamy texture.) Bake 45-60 minutes until almost set in the center (custard still has a slight jiggle). Serve warm, at room temperature, or completely cooled with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Here’s another dessert I made recently for my brother’s birthday which also calls for Grape-Nuts. This healthy treat is easy to make, looks elegant and tastes yummy.

Ingredients:
For the Crust
1/3 cup Grape-Nuts
3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
1/2 cup mini Chocolate Chips
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp, freshly grated lemon zest
Dash of cinnamon

For the filling
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Filling ingredients:
1 cup 2% cottage cheese
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese
2 Tbsp. sugar (Next time I would use 3 Tbsp.)
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/2 tsp. vanilla
40 raspberries
Preparation:
Make the crust: Pulse crust ingredients in a food processor or mini-max until crumbly, but moist. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter, add to the crumbs and mix well. Lightly oil or butter 5 custard cups. Divide crust mixture among the cups and firmly press into an even layer on bottoms.

Make filling and bake cakes:  Puree cottage cheese in food processor or blender until completely smooth. Don’t give up on it. The texture will be completely transformed. Add the remaining ingredients. Scrape down sides several times so the mixture gets very creamy. Spoon into custard cups.  Press 8 raspberries into the top of each cheesecake. Bake in a hot water bath (same as above recipe) until firm, 20-25 minutes. Cool on rack. Chill covered for at least 2 hours.

Variations on this cheesecake are endless…strawberries or blueberries. A spoonful of either raspberry, strawberry or blueberry jelly swirled through the cake. Or bake the cheescakes without fruit and top with fresh kiwi’s, etcetera, etcetera!

Here’s my big brother getting ready to blow out the candles while his dear wife, Esther and their dog Rosy cheer him on! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SKIP!

Thanks for tuning in again for another episode of:

Next time I will share a recipe for double thick pork chops brined in bourbon, grilled with a bourbon glaze and served with a bourbon cream sauce!