Boulder Locavore Guest Post: Persimmon Pudding with Hard Sauce

I am thrilled to introduce Boulder Locavore to you, she is amazing and I have really enjoyed tweeting with her, she is also a Mum and has been so uplifting as I would mention being tired with two little ones. I have always been a fan of her blog, her passion for local organic foods and knowing where it comes from. She tells wonderful family tales with her recipes and is a must follow blog. 

 

I was completely flattered when cyber ‘Gal Pal’ Rebecca asked if I’d do a guest post for her.  I don’t recall what she’d just read of mine that inspired her request but I seem to recall it was a madcap tale swirling around food. 

I also don’t recall how we first connected though know it was on Twitter.  I appreciate Rebecca for so many things.  Her culinary focus and her culinary reach are two starters that caught my attention early on.  When I first began to read her blog I was fascinated by the chef interviews and her worldly awareness and interest.  She’s plugged in, this girl.  Our bonding truly crystallized earlier this fall over my obsessions of anything Anglophile or anything I can infuse in a jar basically.  I became smitten with things like Hedgerow Gin and Sloe Gin, voraciously researching fruits of the hedgerow and what liquor I could make with them.  Rebecca would throw me a bone when she found one in the form of any links with such recipes; I suspect both out of kindness and to watch my puppy-like antics when receiving a link for something like Wild Plum Gin Sorbet (which I made immediately).

All kidding aside, I really respect Rebecca and all of her talents.  Social Media maven, dietary aficionado and committed Mom of a wee tot and newborn.  I remember those oh-so-painful days of no sleep and smiling faces ready to start the day when I had never experienced a sleep-filled night. 

A quick note on me.  I live in Boulder Colorado with a food focus of local, seasonal eating, hence my blog name of Boulder Locavore.  I am also gluten free as well as have a serious case of wanderlust so draw from my travel experiences when preparing my food.  I also choose all organic ingredients whenever possible (which is quite easy where I live) but am one who believes everyone needs to choose what is best for their needs and budget.  Of late, I’ve been enjoying prowling through multi-generational family recipe boxes, finding and preparing vintage seasonal dishes.  Food does bind us all and I love the idea I’m eating something my Great Grandmother had prepared a century ago.

When I would travel through the UK anytime around the holidays I’d always bring home a Christmas Pudding (and jarred Hard Sauce).   Christmas Pudding is a bit like a souped up fruitcake equivalent for those in the U.S.  It’s steeped in booze so literally can be kept for a year before eating.  When I found a recipe for Persimmon Pudding with Hard Sauce in my Grandmother’s recipe box I knew I wanted to make it for this post.  A bit of a nod to Rebecca’s UK heritage interwoven with my passion for all things vintage and seasonal.

I will admit both that I had no idea what to expect when making this and that I was thrilled with the outcome.  Americans will associate the term ‘pudding’ with a creamy, gelatinous dessert but this is truly the form more of the UK experience.  More like a dense cake, perfectly seasoned with holiday signature flavors without being ‘too much’.  And let’s face it; anything with Hard Sauce can’t be beat.

PERSIMMON PUDDING with HARD SAUCE

The original recipe indicates to put the pudding in a mold to bake however I elected to use individual ramekins.  If cooking in a mold, either solid or tubular, I would check the pudding at 30 minutes by sticking toothpick in and watching the browning on the exposed surface for doneness.  If the toothpick is clean, it’s done.  It does brown but should not over brown on the top.  Slice and serve on a plate with hard sauce.  Also the original recipe indicated to grease a mold.   I did not grease the ramekins and had no issue; greasing the mold would probably be a good idea.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

·         1 cup flour (I used gluten free flour)

·         1 cup sugar

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         2 teaspoons baking soda

·         1 teaspoon cinnamon

·         1 cup peeled, seeded, mashed persimmon pulp (approximately 2-3 large persimmons)

·         ½ cup milk

·         2 tablespoons butter, melted

·         ½ teaspoon vanilla

·         1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I used a mix of the two and it was delicious)

1.       Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.      Mix together with blender or by hand flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.

3.      Add to dry mixture the persimmon pulp, milk butter and mix until well combined.

4.      Stir in the vanilla and nuts to the mixture and fully combine.

5.      Fill ramekins* 2/3 full and bake on a cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and top has begun to brown.

*I used 4-4 ounce and 2-6 ounce ramekins.

HARD SAUCE

Ingredients:

·         ¼ pound (one stick) unsalted butter, melted

·         2 cups confectioner’s/powdered sugar

·         ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

·         1 egg white, beaten

·         ½ cup cream, whipped  (I hand whisked the cream to ‘lift’ it but not to make it peak)

·         1 ‘jigger’ (ounce) of rum

Blend all ingredients and serve with the Persimmon Pudding.

I thank you Rebecca for this opportunity and hope you can sit back and enjoy with a cup of tea.   And to you, her dear readers, thank YOU for your time and I hope you’ll enjoy the recipe.  Please pop by my blog to say ‘hi’.  This cake would go perfectly with another of my Great Grandmother’s recipes I have on my blog right now ‘Designated Driver Egg Nog’ (my title, not hers)….providing you’ll be walking to your next stop!