Persimmon Pudding

Last updated on: December 13, 2017 at 9:57 am by Anne Kennedy

Persimmon Pudding 2017-12-13T09:57:52-04:00 Anne Kennedy

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Ah, well. My cry was heard! Here is the 2017 Haters Guide to the William Sonoma Catalogue (profane language alert). And the snow is really coming down now. And we decorated the wretched tree. So I guess Advent is over or something and now it’s Christmas. Oh well.

I like things to be orderly, a la Cold Comfort Farm. First one thing and then another thing. Advent all the way up to Christmas Eve and only then the holly jolly of the nativity. And everything very spare and clean and under exaggerated. So this is my Christmas Tree–it’s rosemary and gorgeous.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcpMA1Tg9YO/

And here is everybody else’s.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcpM78Dgjtm/
They decorated it while I sat in a chair next to the fire and criticized them for doing it wrong. It’s so great to have older children. I didn’t have to get up once. And this year I’m not even going to bother to fix the big clump of ornaments in the middle. I’m just going to leave it, for authenticity’s sake.

Anyway, I think there are lots people drowning in Persimmons so I’m going to take the liberty of gifting (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA) just kidding, Vouchsafing Unto You my grandmother’s, or maybe it’s my great grandmother’s Persimmon Pudding recipe. By pudding obviously I mean cake–rich, deep, profound cake. Persimmon Pudding is what I Wish Christmas Pudding could be. It hearkens to Christmas but it’s delicious instead of being weird and difficult. Plus, you can make it and eat it immediately. In fact, it’s best straight out of the oven, dark and steaming. I spent the whole week taking slices quietly off and toasting them in a pan and drizzling them with cream and trying to be alone. But once I wrongly timed my little ritual and all the children came in and wanted some and that was it. No more pudding for breakfast. Now I have a headache and feel sad.

So here’s the recipe as it was given to me. And I can attest to the fact that it works, and that, if you wanted the illusion of health, if that’s the kind of farce you like to keep up, you can replace the sugar with fake brown trulia/stevia, and the flour with einkorn. Don’t use that horrible Splenda stuff because it has an after taste and it will probably kill you. But if you use stevia use half of what’s called for because otherwise it will be way too sweat. The problem with using fake sugar and ancient einkorn is that you might eat the whole pudding thinking that it’s good for you, whereas, it is still cake, and if you eat the whole thing by yourself you will get fat, as I did this week. Sigh.

So, here’s what you need.
2/3 cup sugar, half brown, half white
1/2 cup melted butter or oil
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons warm water
2 ripe persimmons finely diced
3 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 to 1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts chopped
And here’s what you do.
Stir up the sugar and melted butter together. Mix in the flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and add it to the sugar butter mixture. Dissolve the baking soda in the warm water and add that in. Mix the persimmons, brandy, and vanilla together and gently stir in to the batter. Beat the eggs and add them. And then finally the raisins and nuts. Bake in a loaf pan, or a beautiful molded pan really thoroughly buttered and floured or lined with parchment. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

But don’t stop there.
You’ll need and want a rich translucent lemon sauce which you get by mixing together 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice.

Then you might as well just pour straight cream over that. I mean, I guess you could whip the cream but I actually like it better just drizzled over the lemon sauce over the pudding.

Of course, we won’t be eating this for Christmas because my mother made a proper Christmas Pudding, much to my alarm. She’s been pouring brandy over it when she remembers to, but it won’t make any difference because no matter how you slice it and how high the flames fly up, Christmas Pudding is not Persimmon Pudding. And now I guess I’ll go boil an egg because my sorrow, like the snow, is hurricane force. Pip pip.

Previous Post

December 12, 2017

In Which I Continue My Christmas Shopping

Next Post

December 14, 2017 The Tea is Forever Made

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category books Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Children in Conversation culture watch Daily Devotions Demotivations with Anne faith alone for the grandparents GAFCON In conversation with children In the News Kitchen Notes Lambeth Learning Notes Life Going On Men are Human Notes from Home Pictures Reading the Bible Saturday Links Sermons Signs of the Apocalypse The Bad Word Association The Prayer of Jonah Travel Notes Uncategorized Witless Wednesdays Work and the Christian

Select a Month June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: In 2 Corinthians, Paul describes himself as having a thorn in the flesh.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE

Books by This Author Books by Anne Kennedy

See All Titles »