Thursday, December 17, 2009

Chez Panisse Persimmon Pudding

I want to share my favorite dessert for the holidays. An early Christmas gift for everyone. At Chez they serve a cognac cream with the pudding which basically is just adding a splash of cognac to the whipped cream. I don't believe this recipe has ever been published.

Persimmon Pudding

For one 8-inch or 9-inch pudding: About 1½ pounds persimmons • 1¼ cups flour • 1/8 teaspoon salt • ¾ teaspoon baking soda • ¾ teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • ¾ cup sugar • 3 eggs • 1 ½ cups milk • ¼ cup whipping cream • 1 tablespoon honey • 1 cup walnuts or mixed walnuts and black walnuts • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

The persimmon should be completely soft when they are ripe, and the flesh should look translucent and a little like jelly. Scrape the pulp off the peel and put through a strainer, or puree in a blender or food processor. Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Combine the persimmon pulp, sugar, eggs, milk, cream, and honey. Gradually stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture. It will be thin at first but will thicken quickly. Let the batter stand to thicken.

Lightly toast the walnuts 5 to 6 minutes in a preheated 350° oven; then let them cool. Butter an 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with baking parchment. Melt the butter, let it cool slightly while you chop the nuts coarse, then stir both butter and nuts into the batter. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the 350° oven for 2 to 3 hours, or until the pudding is set. Remove from the pan while warm. The top will be a dark glossy brown and needs no embellishment other than a pretty plate or tray.

Serve warm with crème Chantilly.

2 Comments:

Blogger Joe Randazzo said...

Lara,

I am so glad that I came across your blog! Ive had your cookbook for a year now and finally put my cookbook purchasing obsession on hold. I'm cooking from the books, finally. Your short ribs are incredible. The sauce, the texture...all wonderful.

I just turned 30 this year and am heading to culinary school. After nearly 10 years of cookbooking and learning as much as I could, I've finally reached a point that no longer allows to sit back and wonder. So here's to uncertainty and hopefully some light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks for a lovely book and I look forward to cooking from it more!

Joe Randazzo

January 3, 2010 at 7:23 PM  
Blogger Evan Turenne said...

I cant belive i came across this recipe. i uesed to be an intern at chez panisse and remember making it. so freaking good. i searched this recipe not expecting anything to come up. but it did! now i have the perfect holiday gifts to give. thank you! thank You!

November 30, 2011 at 12:40 PM  

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