Jan Bulla-Baker (Bloomington, Indiana)
Serves 12
Here is a recipe that uses local ingredients and is certainly a Midwest favorite. Persimmons can be tart, but this recipe adds an element of sweetness that creates an overall well-balanced bite.
1–2 cups sugar
2–3 cups persimmon pulp
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
⅓ cup light cream
1½ cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter
Preheat an oven to 325°F.
Mix the sugar and pulp together in a large bowl. Mix the baking soda and buttermilk in a separate bowl, and stir until the foaming stops; add to the pulp mixture. Add the eggs, vanilla, and light cream. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Pour melted butter in a 13- by 9-inch baking pan, and grease the sides. Pour any excess butter into the pudding mixture, and then back into the pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until set in the middle. Serve with whipped cream (see Baking Tips on whipped cream, this page).