Grandma’s Persimmon Pudding
Vintage old-fashioned persimmon pudding recipe from my grandmother Sadie Moser Brooks
What is persimmon pudding?
To most, Persimmon Pudding is an acquired taste and texture experience. This caramelized and sweet soggy style of old-fashioned persimmon pudding is what we grew up eating in North Carolina each fall. We had persimmon trees in our back fields and on our grandmother’s land. A lot of times, my brother and I would pick them up and feed them to the cows or munch on a few ripe ones to fuel our outdoor playing time. My Grandma’s Persimmon Pudding is a vintage recipe, created by the true pioneer farm women of Alamance County, creating and trading their recipes throughout their community. Treasures to be passed down to each generation and hopefully not forgotten.
After my grandmother passed, I received one of her recipe books filled with lots of handwritten recipes, and some from the local community newspaper that she clipped and glued in her little black book from the 1950’s. Every time I make one of her recipes, I feel a little closer to her and special memories come flooding back. Her persimmon pudding was a fall favorite among the Brooks family. Her farmland and pastures were speckled with tall persimmon trees throughout, that gave a huge bounty to harvest and pulp. This recipe was handwritten on the back of an old envelope that was dated 1962.
What is a persimmon?
If you are all-together new to persimmon pudding, you might be asking: What is a persimmon? Persimmons are considered a fruit, and there are two major varieties: Asian and North American. Asian persimmons are much larger and don’t soften as much when ripe and the trees only grow to an average of 12 feet in height. North American persimmons are what our family use to make old fashioned persimmon pudding. To me, persimmons have a unique flavor, hard to describe, but almost a mixture of it’s own fall spices baked inside by the sun and touch of sweet carmal”ish” honey flavor.
How do I get persimmon pulp to use in recipes?
If you do not have access to a chinois and pestle, you will need to cut persimmons in half, then tediously remove seeds with a spoon, then scoop out pulp from skin and add to a food processor. Process until smooth, adding a touch of water, if needed. If you are not planning on using the persimmon pulp immediately, place 2 cup portions in freezer-safe plastic bags or air-tight containers and freeze until ready to use. Allow one full day to thaw out in the refrigerator before using.
Let’s begin!
Ingredients:
How to make persimmon pudding
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325℉ / 162℃.