A Different Christmas Pudding.
As you can tell by the name of the recipe, it is Mama Ging’s Persimmon Pudding. But, according to her granddaughter, my friend Susan, it might actually be Mama Ging’s mother’s recipe. Either way, it’s a cherished family recipe, and it’s tried and true.
Out of the blue, Susan’s brother sent me some persimmons from his garden in California and, from New Hampshire, Susan sent me the recipe for the pudding: a persimmon convergence in Arizona this week!
The pudding is simple to make, and it is served with molasses whipped cream. The whipped cream was a revelation to me – it is perfect for spiced cakes and puddings such as this. For these purposes, I prefer it to the quotidian confectioners sugar-sweetened whipped cream.
I must admit that I have never eaten a persimmon. They weren’t a thing of my childhood – or adulthood. Susan made the pudding for me recently and, up to that point, I just thought of them as a suspicious orange fruit that shows up late in autumn in the markets. Suspicions now cast aside, I can imagine enjoying this Christmas pudding every year.
~ David
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Mad Dog
December 28, 2024 at 6:46 amI will have to try that! I’ve only ever eaten fresh caquis (Spanish) from the Boqueria.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 28, 2024 at 8:32 amI will have to try a fresh one. I did a little language check, as I knew them in their Italian — cachi. I learned French is kaki, and that Spanish, as you noted, is caqui. Oddly, in German it is Persimmon. Go figure.
Karen (Back Road Journal)
December 28, 2024 at 7:00 amI too have never eaten a persimmon but I’m sure I would enjoy the dessert.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 28, 2024 at 8:33 amMaybe we both need to try one someday, Karen!
Mimi Rippee
December 28, 2024 at 8:00 amWe had persimmons when I lived in Davis, California. I was never sure about the texture. I guess I preferred them on the less ripe side. But this cake! It’s gorgeous!!! Happy New Year!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 28, 2024 at 8:34 amI will have to bite the bullet and try one, Mimi. Thanks — I was really pleased at how well the cake came out!
Jeff the Chef
December 28, 2024 at 8:06 amOh, you should really eat one straight-up! They have to be perfectly ripe, though – otherwise, they’re astringent. But when ripe, they’re amazing! I’m the opposite of you: I’ve never done anything but eat them as-is, and have never cooked or baked with them! But I would love to make this pudding.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 28, 2024 at 8:35 amI will need to try one, Jeff. And you should definitely bake with them! We both have a learning curve to conquer!
Carolyne
December 28, 2024 at 8:59 amMolasses cream sounds wonderful and perfect with that gorgeous cake.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 28, 2024 at 9:02 amIt’s a wonderful combination, Carolyne — I’m so glad Susan made this for me and then shared the recipe!
Barb
December 28, 2024 at 9:47 amI remember when I was child a friend of my grandmother brought back persimmons from the South where they had retired. I refused to taste them, as they didn’t look appealing to me. My grandmother could make any food taste fabulous though, so she made persimmon butter out of them and it was delicious! Your persimmon pudding sounds like an excellent way to use them. I like old-fashioned recipes that have been handed down.
Melissa
December 28, 2024 at 10:39 amThere are two types of persimmon; fuyu, which have a flatter shape and hachiya, which are taller, with a pointy base. Fuyu can be eaten when they’re firm but the hachiya need to be extremely ripe and soft in order to taste good. So when you embark on eating one out of hand, make sure you know which kind you have.
I’ve occasionally baked with them but one of my favorite ways to use fuyu persimmons is in a salad with avocado, watercress or mixed greens of some kind, and miso dressing. I can send you the recipe if you like.
Eha Carr
December 28, 2024 at 2:09 pmWell – this has turned into a ‘language post’ for me! Always appreciated! Yes, persimmons are easily available here in season . . .yes, I have eaten quite a few as they come but would not place them in the ‘favourite fruit’ category. But for fun – just looked the name up in my birth language Estonian – the first translation came up as ‘hurma’ and then ‘kakiploom’ – Estonians have always thought the French the ‘it’ people to copy – so we have their name + plum! Your dish looks lovely . . . if perchance not quite for me . . .
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
December 28, 2024 at 5:22 pmDavid, I love persimmons! Hachiya or Fuyu. Fresh or in a recipe. My own persimmon pudding recipe is a steamed pudding, so if I make this version I’ll call it a persimmon cake. It’s high time you tried persimmon! Just last week I was visiting a friend and she told me she’d never tried one but a friend had recently given her one, so I said “Wonderful! Try it right now!” I wanted to get in on the experience. Well, she first tried a wedge with the skin on (which I like) and said “It’s not bad.” So I had her try a peeled slice and she liked that a lot better.
FEL!X
December 28, 2024 at 6:56 pmI was never keen to eat KAKI (German, Switzerland), but in a kind of pudding – why not?!
Could also try it with an other fruit. Apricots? Papaya? Will see!