Kiss Pudding

Kiss Pudding

As sweet as a kiss! This old-fashioned fancy pudding is first
cooked, then baked with a meringue, and then chilled before serving.
"The sweet liquor which settles to the bottom in cooling is to be
served as a sauce," according to The New Buckeye Cookbook.

4 cups milk
11A cups sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
A dash of salt
l/2 cup light cream
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1A cup grated or flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 2-quart souffle dish or casserole
and sprinkle with sugar.
In a saucepan, heat 3V2 cups milk to boiling. While the milk
heats, mix the remaining milk with 1A cup sugar, the cornstarch, salt,
cream, and egg yolks in a small bowl. Add a small amount of the hot
milk to the egg yolk mixture and beat well, then combine the mixture
with the rest of the hot milk. Return to the heat and whisk constantly,
until mixture just barely comes to a boil. Remove immediately and
turn into the prepared dish or casserole.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy, then gradually
add 1 cup sugar along with the vanilla. Spread the meringue on top
of the pudding. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed;
it will look like a souffle. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with
coconut. Chill 3 to 4 hours before serving.