Grape Nuts is a delicious breakfast cereal developed by C.W. Post in 1897, and although the cereal does not contain either grapes or nuts, its popularity has remained intact over the years. The cereal is actually made from wheat and barley and compared to other cereals on the market it’s actually very nutritious. I personally have enjoyed this cereal over the years, and it was something I ate every day when I was away in College. I always liked it because it does not have any dangerous preservatives like BHT and BHA that other flake type of cereals have as ingredients in order to maintain freshness.
The grape nut name was always curious to me…one explanation came from a few employees at Post who claimed that the cereal got its name due to its resemblance to grape seeds, or grape “nuts.” When the cereal was originally prepared, it was a batter that came out of the oven as a rigid sheet. It was then broken into pieces and run them through a coffee grinder to produce the “nut” sized kernels.
With the cooler weather setting in, many of us are already thinking of heartier, stick to your ribs food to add to our family table, and of course delicious and comforting desserts are also part of the menu. Who doesn’t love an easy and delicious happy ending to a meal? And, with the Holidays almost upon us, this is a perfect dessert to make for visiting friends and family.
I happened to come across this dessert when I was doing some research on baked custards. Apparently, it is very well known in New England, particularly on Cape Cod, and is served up in many local establishments and in homes across the area. Traditionally, the custard is made with whole milk, but I added a combination of both milk and heavy cream which gives the custard a silkier texture.
I tried to find some information about why it is so popular in this area yet relatively unknown in many other areas of the US. The only info I could find was a few references to possible maritime connections when the cereal was eaten on long journeys across the ocean because it didn’t spoil…but that’s about it.
Another item I had never heard about was grape nut ice cream, which is also popular in this area. This is actually credited to Canadian Chef Hannah Young who created it in 1919 when she ran out of fresh fruit for her ice cream and decided to add the grape nuts instead. Although the cereal softens in both the custard and the ice cream, the nutty flavor remains prevalent, and is surprisingly very delicious.
I decided to try this dessert and was actually very surprised at how lovely and delicate it was. You can serve it either warm on cold, wintry nights drizzled with a little chocolate or caramel sauce or serve it cold right out of the fridge with some whipped cream and sliced fruit. Either way, the versatility of this dessert will make it a regular part of your menu.
Grape Nut Custard Pudding (makes 1-8”x8” pan)
7 eggs
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 teaspoons salt
2 cups whole milk
2-2/3 cups heavy cream
¾ cup grape nuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Combine the cinnamon nutmeg and grape nuts together and set aside. In a medium sized bowl add the eggs, sugar and vanilla whip well together. Add the milk and cream and pour this into a greased 8”x8” pan and then top with the grape nut mixture evenly over the top. Bake at 350°F for approximately 45 minutes until the custard has set completely. It will be a little jiggly but firm. Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving. Spoon into bowls and serve with chocolate or caramel sauce. You can also put this into the refrigerator to cool completely and then cut into slices and serve with whipped cream or fresh fruit.
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