CHOCOLATE PLANTATION PUDDING

3 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup enriched white hominy grits
1 envelope plus 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
3 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL):
sweetened whipped cream
maraschino cherries

Place milk in a saucepan; add salt and heat to boiling. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat; cover and cook about 25 minutes, stirring frequently.

Soften gelatin in maraschino cherry juice. Add softened gelatin, sugar, cherries, chocolate, and vanilla to grits mixture. Stir until gelatin and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat; let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes or until lukewarm.

Beat whipping cream until stiff; fold into grits mixture. Pour into well-greased 1 3/4-quart mold. Chill several hours or overnight.

To serve, unmold. If desired, decorate mold with sweetened whipped cream using a pastry tube with a fluted tip and garnish with maraschino cherries.

Makes 6 servings
Adapted from source: Culinary Master

Hi Susan,

If the recipe you remember didn't use cherries and cherry juice, you can omit the cherries and substitute water for the cherry juice used to soften the gelatin.

Happy Cooking!

Betsy