Author Notes
This is a pudding like some of my ancestors used to make-- kind of like a cake, but moist and gooey. I adapted this from a recipe by Bob Kelly in Aberdeen, MS. I changed some of the spices, added pecans, a little less sugar (persimmons are soooo sweet), and changed the milk mixture. Also, he recommend stirring it while it bakes, but I don't think that is necessary or the best idea. I make it every year during the holidays now-- as it has a warmth and spice and richness that makes it a great pairing with pumpkin pie, or mince meat pie. Excellent with very lightly sweetened whip cream. This is what they used to do with persimmons in the Southern U.S. back before we could get whatever exotic ingredients we want year round at the grocer. The American persimmon was an important food of Native Americans, particularly given their abundance from early fall well into winter, after the harvest season for most other staples had ended. They are, in fact, the largest true berry produced by a tree native to the U.S. —tsp
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Old Fashioned Persimmon Pudding
Ingredients
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2 pounds
persimmons
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3/4 cup
sugar
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1/2 cup
melted butter
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1 cup
whole milk
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1 cup
evaporated milk
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2
eggs, beaten
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1 1/2 cups
flour
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1 teaspoon
baking powder
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1 teaspoon
baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
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1/2 teaspoon
freshly grated nutmeg
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1 teaspoon
cinnamon
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1 teaspoon
ginger
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1/2 cup
pecan pieces
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking pan (I used ceramic or glass).
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Peel and remove the seeds from about 2 pounds of Fuyu or American persimmons (do not use hachiya). Pulse in a food processor until smooth.
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Combine the wet ingredients and sugar with the persimmon pulp using a whisk.
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Combine dry ingredients by whisking or sifting.
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Add dry to the wet and mix well (batter will be a little lumpy and very runny). Add pecans.
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Pour into the baking dish and bake for 1 hour. It will set up like a cake but a knife will not come out clean. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream (lightly sweetened) or vanilla ice cream. This freezes very well, and can be thawed in the refrigerator and then reheated in the oven.
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