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Steamed Persimmon Pudding with Candy Cap Hard Sauce

Steamed Persimmon Pudding with Candy Cap Hard Sauce This truly great recipe was given to me eons ago by a magical pastry chef. I make it often using fresh persimmons and then ones that I freeze just to make this magnificent pudding. It stays fresh for days and freezes perfectly. For this reason I always make the three mold recipe. I make one for the house and freeze or give the other two as presents. It’s worth it to buy a pudding mold or three. They are easily found online.

The only thing that can make this better us using ripe wild persimmons in place of the gooey ripe Hachiya persimmon, and having a shot of bourbon beside it.

Serves 10 - 12

For One Pudding:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick or ¼ pound) unsalted butter, plus extra for the mold, melted
  • 1¼ cups persimmon puree
  • 3 tablespoons brandy or bourbon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup raisins
  • ¾ cup coarsely chopped Wild Black Walnuts

For Three Puddings:

  • 6 large eggs
  • 3¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 1½ cups (3 sticks or ¾ pound) unsalted butter, plus extra for the mold, melted
  • 3¾ cups persimmon purée
  • ½ cup plus
  • 1 tablespoon brandy or bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons baking soda
  • 6 tablespoons boiling water
  • 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups raisins
  • 2¼ cup coarsely chopped Wild Black Walnuts
  1. Beat eggs and sugar. Beat in melted butter. Beat in puree and booze.
  2. Dissolve soda in boiling water. Add lemon juice. It will foam up.
  3. Sift dry ingredients and add by the cup to wet mixture. Beat until smooth.
  4. Fold in raisins and walnuts.
  5. Have a stock pot with three inches simmering water (or 2 or three for the larger recipe) Fill the buttered molds. Put the lid on the mold or cover the top tightly with foil if you have no mold lid. Make sure the water is halfway up the sides. Simmer, covered, for 2 - 2¼ hours.
  6. Let sit ten minutes before unmolding.

For The Candy Cap Hard Sauce:

  • 2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons Dried Candy Cap Mushrooms, ground with a mortar & pestle or with a rolling pin
  • 1 tablespoon brandy or bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  1. Sift together the confectioners' sugar and salt in a small bowl. Cream the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  2. Once creamed, add the ground candy cap mushrooms until incorporated evenly. Add the confectioners' sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Add the, brandy, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cream and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Makes about 1½ cups.

Tips and Techniques

The persimmon puree will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. The hard sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week. Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

Substitutions and Variations

Black Walnuts will make these puddings even more deep and complex in flavor.