Spiced Persimmon Pudding
Fuyu persimmons and California prune puree bake into a soft, spoon-tender holiday dessert with a warm spice note. Dessert wine replaces brandy, and crushed pistachios and a slice of fresh Fuyu finish it off.
Ingredients
For the prune puree
- 1 lb pitted California prunes
- 1 ¾ cup boiling hot water
For the persimmon puree
- 8- 10 medium-sized very ripe Fuyu persimmons (about 2 cups pureed)
- For the persimmon pudding
- 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1 large orange zested
- 2 cups persimmon puree
- 1/2 cup prune puree
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 8 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and briefly cooled, plus more for the baking dish
- 1/4 cup dessert wine; we used Quady Electra Black
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
For serving
- 1/3 cup raw pistachios, chopped roughly
- sweetened whipped cream
- 1 to 2 firm Fuyu persimmons, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Make the prune puree. Add the prunes and hot water to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Measure out 1/2 cup and refrigerate the rest for up to 4 months for use in a variety of recipes. Clean the blender carafe.
- Make the persimmon puree. If very ripe and soft there is no need to peel the Fuyu persimmons. Simply remove the leafy top and toss the persimmon into the blender. If it is still very firm peel each Fuyu, trim off the leafy top and chop roughly. Add the pieces to the high-powered blender and blend until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Measure out 2 cups and save any extra persimmon puree for another use.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (180℃) with a rack in the middle.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and orange zest in a large bowl to break up any lumps. Butter a 13-by-9-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking dish and set it aside.
- Make the batter. In another large bowl, whisk the persimmon puree, prune puree, half-and-half, brown sugar, and eggs until evenly blended. Whisk in the melted butter, dessert wine, and vanilla bean paste until just combined. Stir in the flour mixture in four additions, letting each one disappear before adding the next and scraping down the bowl as you go.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake until a cake tester in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Serve. Serve warm or at room temperature. Top each square with crushed pistachios, a small dollop of whipped cream, and a thin slice of Fuyu persimmon.
Video
Notes
You will have more prune puree than you will need for this recipe. Save the rest for use in other recipes. You can find some of our favorite uses for it here.
A Fuyu that has softened a little on the counter blends into a smoother puree than a very firm one. But firm ones will still break down easily in a high-powered blender. If needed, peel the skin from the very firm Fuyu, cut into quarters, and blend.
Have very ripe Hachiyas on hand? Swap in 2 cups of their pulp.
The pudding keeps well and tastes even better the next day, so it is a smart make-ahead for holiday gatherings.
Nutrition
Calories: 417kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 323mgPotassium: 630mgFiber: 4gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 736IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 3mg
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