Southern · Authentic-ish Southern
Corn Pudding
170 kcal a serving, against 321 for the traditional version. That is 151 kcal off, or 47%, with 7.9g of protein. Serves 8. 1 hour 10 minutes.
What the traditional version is
The traditional corn pudding starts with 500g sweetcorn, 250ml double cream, and 100g unsalted butter. Into this go four whole eggs, 100ml whole milk, 40g plain flour, some salt, a wreckless amount of black pepper, and a spoonful of sugar. You blend half the corn, fold it all together, and bake until just set. You get a rich, trembling centre that sighs under a spoon, with a sweetness and depth that's all fat and yolk.
What changed, and what each change costs
250ml double cream swapped for 350ml whole milk
Double cream is delicious and devastating and does all the heavy lifting for flavour. Using whole milk means you lose some of that body, but your arteries will thank you - and you can still find comfort in the right seasoning.
What it costs you. It's less luscious. The pudding sets firmer and doesn't glide down the throat. Still tastes of corn, though, and that's non-negotiable.
100g butter dropped to 20g
Butter in the original is there for flavour and a silkier set. Using just enough to grease the dish and dot the top keeps a trace of richness without letting the pudding run wild.
What it costs you. If butter is your best friend, you'll notice this. The corners still go golden, but it's not that unctuous, never-leave-the-table dish. You won't need a nap after.
Egg yolks cut, egg whites doubled (four whole eggs becomes two whole eggs plus four egg whites)
Egg whites add protein and help the pudding set, while yolks bring richness and, frankly, most of the regret. This change gets more structure with less fat.
What it costs you. The set is firmer and less luxurious. If you time it right, you still get a bit of wobble - just not the classic wobble-and-sigh.
Sweetcorn from 500g to 600g, pureeing half, and flour raised to 60g
Adding more sweetcorn (and blitzing half) adds body and ups the taste, filling in for some of the fat you lost. The extra flour soaks up liquid from the milk.
What it costs you. You get more bite and fewer pockets of creaminess. The upside: the taste of actual corn comes through, not just custard.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 321 | 170 |
| Protein | 7.1g | 7.9g |
| Fat | 25.1g | 5.8g |
| Saturated fat | 14.7g | 2.7g |
| Carbohydrate | 19.7g | 24g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.2g | 4.7g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Southern prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk, eggs, gluten.
The method is in the book
You lose the shuddering, creamy luxury and settle for a homely, proper corn taste. There's enough structure from the egg whites and blitzed corn that it slices rather than slumps. If you want that trembling custard, you'll have to go back to the cream and yolks, and good luck to you. For everyone else, this is much less likely to send you for a lie-down after lunch, and a slice next to roast chicken is still a happy thing.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Southern, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.