GRITTY MISSISSIPPI MUD PUDDING

The Mississippi River rarely freezes over on the Dixie side, but during the coldest of winters she does deliver ice floes from points north of the Mason Dixon. As seen while duck hunting on the river, examination reveals that ice isn’t the crystal clear stuff one might hope for, but kind of a pale, chocolate-y colored dingy ice sheet that, with the addition of some powdered Hershey’s and sugar, might be kind of tasty. That level of imagination is some of the inspiration for this ice cream. Plenty of cacao for color, our rice grits for texture, milk for the carrier, and cream cheese for the rest of the rich mix in the river. This recipe is similar to our pudding, but with more milk, some eggs, and an ice cream freezer.

INGREDIENTS

 1 tbsp coconut oil

¾ cup Original Mississippi Middlins or Missimati Fragrant Middlins White Rice Grits

3½ cups whole sweet milk, divided

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup white granulated sugar, divided

2 tbsp vanilla extract

¾ cup 60% dark cacao chunks or chips

2 eggs, beaten

METHOD

     In medium saucepan, melt oil and add grits; stir to coat. Add 2½ cups milk, vanilla extract, sugar, and salt, stir, bring to boil, reduce to simmer, and cover with tight fitting lid. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lid, stir, and taste for rice grit texture. If cooked to preferred degree of doneness (they perform nicely left slightly crunchy or firm), add another ½ cup milk, softened cream cheese, and the cacao. Stir to blend well and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Mixture should be thickened to easily coat a spoon (if too thick, add more milk ¼ cup at a time and stir well).

In small mixing bowl, add beaten eggs and ½ cup milk; blend well. Temper the egg mixture by adding 1 spoonful of the chocolate grit pudding mix into the egg mixture and blending quickly so that eggs don’t set. Repeat this 3 or 4 times, and then quickly add this egg mixture into the pudding mixture, stirring quickly. When well blended, refrigerate to chill mixture for about 1 hour.

Per manufacturer’s directions, add mixture into an ice cream mixer of choice and churn until thickened, (about 10 to 15 minutes). Enjoy!