Cornmeal pudding which is also known as pone is a favorite Sunday dessert in Jamaica. If you have never had it before you don’t know what you are missing.  Here is your chance to try it with my Coconut Cornmeal Pudding Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 3 cups water
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup margarine (or butter)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup raisins
• 3 tbsp rum (optional)

Topping

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Measure dry ingredients and combine in mixing bowl.
3. Pour coconut milk, water, and vanilla into a medium-size saucepan on medium heat.
4. Add margarine, sugar, and raisins one at a time to the saucepan and stir until the margarine and sugar have dissolved and liquid is heated. Remove from heat and add rum, if desired.
5. Pour 1/2 of the liquid into mixing bowl with dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Add remaining liquid, stirring until there are no lumps of cornmeal and the batter is smooth.
6. Pour batter into a greased extra-deep 9-inch cake pan and place in pre-heated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. (The pan I used is a 3-inch deep, 9-inch baking pan.)
7. Combine topping ingredients and set aside.
8. At the 15-minute mark the batter will be thicker, take the pan out of the oven and stir to distribute the raisins evenly.
9. Pour topping over batter and place pan back into the oven for 1 hour.
10. When you take the pan out of the oven the top will still be gooey. Use a knife to test the pudding. It should be firm under the topping. Place pan on a cooling rack; The pudding will get firmer as it cools.

Serving Tip: It’s best to leave the pudding in the pan and slice pieces for serving, especially when it’s warm. It’s never easy removing the first piece, but after that, you’ll be good to go.

Be sure to check out Chef Noel Cunningham’s Coconut & Ginger Crème Brûlée Recipe.