Receta Persimmon Pudding
Believe it or not, I have no recollection of ever tasting persimmons prior to this, so when W brought them home, I had no idea what to do with them. Persimmons are now at the peak of their season. There are two kinds of persimmons,.Hachiya and Fuyu. Fuyu's are rounder, firmer, and can be eaten like an apple. Hachiya's are more acorn shaped and should look like an over ripe tomato when ready to use. You cut open and scoop out the pulp. I used Hachiya persimmons for this recipe. Very tasty. In fact, they reminded me a bit of pumpkin, only better, because I don't like pumpkin. I'm going to attempt a "Pumpkin" Pie, using Hachiya persimmons. Meanwhile, here's a quick, delicious and nutritious snack.
NOTE: I learned the hard way: DO NOT USE Hachiya persimmons unless they are literally mushy and ripe or they will NOT be friendly to your tastebuds. I put a sliver of unripe Hachiya on my tongue and had the strangest reaction. My tongue went numb and got all dry, and felt so odd that it scared me. It turns out that the Hachiya persimmons are highly astringent most of their lives, where Fuyus are not, Never eat Hachiya persimmons fresh off the tree. They must be MUSHY before eaten.
Hachiya Persimmon
To hasten ripening, put a heart-shaped persimmon in a paper bag along with a banana. The banana releases ethylene, which ripens the persimmon. The Fuyus (which look like light tomatoes) can be enjoyed either crisp or soft and when cut, the cross-section reveals a lovely 8 pointed star. It looks quite beautiful in fruit platters...and the good news is , they maintain their brilliant color. Both of these offer a lovely color and a flavor that is reminiscent of apricot and mango. Although, when mixed with banana and maple syrup, reminds me more of pumpkin.
Persimmon Pudding
Ingredients:
1 Hachiya persimmon, ripened
1 banana
2 Tbsp Irish moss paste (optional and an amazing ingredient - don't be afraid!)
2 Tbsp white chia seeds (ground) -dark will darken color, but can be used.
- 1 drop Medicine Flower Vanilla Extract (or pinch of vanilla bean powder)
- 1 Tbsp grade B maple syrup (or your fav. sweetener)
- 1/4 cup water (as needed to blend)
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/16 tsp cinnamon
- dash nutmeg
Directions:
1. Hachiya persimmon must be ripe. (is acorn shaped and looks like an over ripe tomato when ready)
2. Cut open and scoop out pulp, removing thin membrane.
3. In blender, mix ingredients. Add water as needed. Should be a thick applesauce consistency.
4. Refrigerate until chilled and serve. Top with dried coconut, chopped nuts, cinnamon, etc.
5. This makes a great "pumpkin" pie filling. Add more Irish moss paste, or chia to thicken as needed. Spoon into pie crust and top with your favorite pumpkin pie toppings.
Note: I accidentally used ground black chia seeds instead of white, so my pudding came out muddier in color. If you want a brighter, lovely shade, I suggest using ground white chia seeds. A spice/nut grinder works great for this.
I was so inspired by the flavor of this recipe, I then created this No Pumpkin-Pie using a pecan/date crust! YUMMMMMMMERS! This was made in a 7" fluted pie tart with removable bottom. ( I doubled the pudding recipe and adjusted the sweetness and spices)