Persimmon Steamed English Pudding

Submitted by 2Bleu

"This is an English pudding (or cake). A persimmon is a fruit with red-orange skin and flesh which comes in several varities and are in season from October to around Dec or Feb depending on your location. When selecting persimmons, look for plump, soft fruit but not mushy. Some helpful notes from our Zaar friend Maito, (who so kindly volunteered to be the test kitchen for this recipe that I found scratched down on paper from long ago and had not made personally) are as follows: Either of the two varieties of persimmons will work with this, as long as the fuyus are soft or hachiyas are super soft/almost mushy. Put greased parchment paper (greased side down) under the foil (so aluminum doesn’t drip into your cake). It is also helpful to have a string to make a handle to help you lift the cake out (we did a crisscross around the whole pan). Before step 3, you might measure the amount of water you want first (with the pans and pot in place), before putting the batter in."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 20mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 1 cup pureed persimmon
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 1⁄4 cup golden raisin, plumped in warm water drained and chopped

• Vanilla sauce

• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest

directions

1. In a large bowl combine persimmon puree, sugar, egg and butter and beat until smooth (an electric mixer really helps!).
2. Sift flour, cinnamon and baking soda together and stir into persimmon mixture along with the milk and raisins alternately.
3. Turn batter into a well buttered 1 quart steamed pudding mold and cover tightly with a lid or heavy foil secured with kitchen string.
4. Place mold on a rack in a kettle with a tight fitting lid.
5. Pour boiling water into kettle to reach 2/3 of the way up the sides of the mold and steam pudding covered for 2 hours over medium heat.
6. Remove pudding to a rack and cool uncovered for 15 minutes.
7. Invert onto a serving plate and serve with vanilla sauce.

8. VANILLA SAUCE:

9. In a small saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg and salt.
10. Add water in a stream whisking constantly and then simmer sauce over low heat until thickened or just starts to come to a boil (about 3 minutes).
11. Off heat, whisk in butter, vanilla and zest.
12. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with warm steamed pudding.
13. Makes 2 cups.

Reviews

[Maito]

I would probably rate this 3.5 stars. It was a good moist sort of quick bread kind of cake, reminiscent of gingerbread. It is interesting that it tastes like molasses, even though it doesn't contain any. You also can't really detect the persimmon, it melts into the overall flavor. We liked that it was not overly sweet. I am not a big salt person, but I do think the cake could use a little salt, maybe 1/2 tsp? The sauce is a must though! I made half the sauce recipe, and it still made a ton. I used Meyer lemon zest in it, and did halve the butter in the sauce as well. The leftover sauce was great with berries (and I could see other applications too). Since I didn't have a pudding mold, I used a bundt pan atop a pressure cooker rack inside a huge pot. I was aiming for the water to come half way up the side of the bundt pan, but it did actually float at first. Since I have never made anything with this type of preparation, I was checking on it frequently to make sure it was still simmering, there was enough water, etc., so found that it did later sink. Thanks for the recipe, Bird!