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Indiana persimmon pudding

Dense, spiced baked pudding of wild persimmon pulp

In southern Indiana, wild persimmons drop from the trees after the first frost, and the town of Mitchell holds a festival every September where this pudding is judged and sold. The pulp is baked with buttermilk and warm spices into something between a cake and a custard: dense, moist, dark orange-brown and tasting of dates and pumpkin. Use very ripe, jelly-soft Hachiya or wild persimmons. Chef's tip: serve it warm with whipped cream, as it firms up and darkens as it cools.
Total time
80 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
9
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Ingredients

Serves9

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Heat the oven to 325°F (300°F fan) and butter a 23 × 33 cm baking dish.

    3 min
  2. Step 2: Beat the 1 lb very ripe persimmon pulp, sieved, 6 ½ oz sugar and 2 eggs. Stir the 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda into the 1 ½ cups buttermilk (it foams) and mix it in.

    4 min
  3. Step 3: Sift the 6 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp grated nutmeg and ¼ tsp salt into the bowl and stir in, then the ½ cup single cream and 2 ⅛ oz butter, to a smooth, loose batter.

    4 min
  4. Step 4: Pour into the dish and bake for 55–60 minutes, until it is set, deep brown and just pulling from the sides; a knife in the middle comes out moist but clean.

    60 min
  5. Step 5: A common mistake is using persimmons that are not fully ripe, which leaves a dry, mouth-puckering taste. Cut in squares and serve warm with ¾ cup whipped cream.

    5 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
300 kcal
Protein
5 g
Carbs
48 g
Fat
10 g
Fibre
2 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does indiana persimmon pudding take?
About 80 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
9 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of sugar?
Caster sugar, same amount.
What can I use instead of eggs?
1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).

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