Persimmon pudding

This is a family tradition on my Dad's side. The holiday season wasn't complete without persimmon pudding! We ate it in these very dishes at my Grandparents house! I was blessed to inherit Grandma's China when she passed away.

First you make a batch of pudding and a batch of foamy sauce. Then when its all said and done you have too much pudding and not enough foamy sauce so you have to make more foamy sauce. Then there is too much foamy sauce and you have to make more pudding and the cycle continues until you are out of persimmon pulp!!!

It is very rich so you really shouldn't eat very much of it. It tastes great hot and great cold! I have had it for breakfast more than once in my life, though that's probably bad LOL. The best thing to do for the sake of your health is to only make it when you have lots of people to share it with.

I always add more cinnamon than it calls for.

About the pulp, I just take the seeds and the leaf off of the persimmon and put it in a food processor until its pureed. Some use a colander. Some use cheese cloth and squeeze the persimmon through it.

OK, the persimmons used in this recipe are Hachiya persimmons, they almost look heart shaped.

Hmm, anything else I should add, yes, OK, To get the persimmons mushy put them in the freezer and then thaw them out when you are ready to use them. They will probably be hard when you get them from the store but freezing them and thawing them will make them nice and soft. If you get them off the tree you may find some already mushy. You WANT them mushy!

Oh yes, one more thing, I find it much easier to steam the pudding in a food steamer. I have to add water after about an hour but it always turns out to be cooked perfectly all the way through.

OK, here's the recipe from my Grandmother Golightly!

PERSIMMON PUDDING
Christine Golightly

Heat over 300 degrees Farenheit

Blend Ingredients:

1 Cup flour
1 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsps. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 T butter (cut in)
1 Cup persimmon pulp
1/2 Cup milk

Put in a covered dish. Cover tightly with foil or lid
and place in covered pan or on a rack. Have pan half full
of water. Let steam 2 hours without lifting lid.

Serve with Foamy Sauce

1/2 Cup butter
1 Cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg

Beat while heating over water in a double boiler.