This pudding was the result of a trip to the shops a couple of days ago. Stacked high on the shelves, were these "kaki" fruit, which I realised are a type of persimmon. You can also use Sharon fruit which are an Israeli variety. In season now until December and used in America for this Thanksgiving dessert. Yes it is an American tradition, but I think in a world of negativity, sometimes it's nice to take the time to slow down and take stock of the good things that have happened in the past year, things we can be thankful for. This is not quite as heavy as a Christmas pudding, but it is rich and full of the flavours we associate with this season - warm spices and tangy orange. Serve with cream, ice cream, brandy butter or as here, dust with icing sugar.
This is my variation with inspiration from many sources
Recipe
The pulp of 2 persimmons
3 organic eggs
120g plain flour
100g granulated sugar
100g butter
200ml organic milk
1 tsp baking powder
half tsp cinnamon
half tsp nutmeg
half tsp mixed spice
zest of 1 orange
pinch of salt
To get the pulp from the persimmons, put them in a bowl of boiling water to blanch the skins. Leave for about 5 minutes, then run under some cold water and the skin should peel away easily. Top the persimmon, cut into slices and mash with a fork to a pulp.
Add the eggs and milk to the persimmon and mix thoroughly. Make sure the butter is at room temperature and using a whisk, whip to soft peaks and add to the persimmon mixture.
In a separate bowl, sieve together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice and orange zest. Add this to the wet mixture and stir well.
Wet some baking paper under the tap and wring out. Use this to line a 9 inch square baking tin. The wet paper eliminates the need to grease the paper. Pour the mixture into the tin and pop in the oven at 200C for about 40 minutes. You can check to see if it is ready by sliding a knife in, if it comes out almost clean, it's ready. Plate up and serve warm. Although it will last for a few days and the flavours seem to develop a little more if left longer.
