New England Pumpkin Pudding

1/2 pint cream
3/4 stick butter, melted
5 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 pounds pumpkin pulp
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg


What we did: Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix cream, melted butter, and sugar. Add eggs, beating until smooth. Once fully mixed, add pumpkin pulp and spices. 

Pour 1/4 cup of water into a shallow cake pan. Place a souffle dish inside the pan and pour pumpkin mixture into dish. Place in oven and bake 45 minutes, or until center is firm — to check, insert a knife or toothpick and remove. If the knife comes out clean, the pudding should be ready. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. 

We would've liked this pudding to be firmer. To achieve this, beat the eggs beforehand, as in a souffle. 

What Fred did: Fred's New England Pumpkin Pudding called for the use of a bain-marie, a cooking instrument whose name translates to English as "water-bath." We didn't have one, hence the combination of cake pan and souffle dish. Essentially, the bottom compartment of the bain-marie serves to insulate the contents in the top. 

Fred's suggests that the pudding be served with lemon sauce. 

Want other Thanksgiving recipes from Fred? 

Try these:

CRANBERRY SHERBERT

Place one quart of cranberries in three cups of boiling water and let boil about ten minutes. When the berries are well softened, strain through a sieve. Let one and one half cupfuls of sugar boil twenty minutes in a quart of water. Add one tablespoonful of Knox gelatin that has been soaked in two tablespoonfuls of cold water. When cool, strain and add the cranberries, with more sugar if desired. Then freeze as usual. 

BABY TURKEY A L’ALBUFERA

Singe and clean a baby turkey, stuff with risotto. Place in casserole dish, season with salt and pepper, and cover with water or chicken stock. Add a few sliced vegetables. Slowly poach until tender. Remove and serve on platter. Garnish with crustades filled with mushrooms, diced truffles, cock’s comb, and kidneys, combine with sauce.

ALBUFERA SAUCE: Prepare a supreme sauce using the broth from the turkey and reduce. Add meat extract and finish sauce with sweet butter.

APPLE HORSERADISH

4 ounces grated horseradish 
4 ounces. milk soaked in fresh bread crumbs and gently pressed 
1 tablespoon of sugar
4 ounces grated apples 
2 tablespoons of vinegar 
1 cup of rich cream 
1 tablespoon of salt

CORN CAKE

Mix one cupful of sifted bread flour, one half cupful of yellow granulated corn meal, two level teaspoons baking powder, one-half level teaspoon salt and one rounded teaspoon sugar. Stir in one cup milk, one well-beaten egg and two tablespoons melted butter. Beat thoroughly and turn into greased muffin pans. Bake.