Preheat oven to 350 degrees.. Grease a 4 x 8 x 12-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. Puree the persimmons, which will reduce them from 3 cups to 2 cups. (I prefer to use an old-fashioned food mill, such as a Mulinex, but they may be pressed through a sieve or cone strainer.) Combine the puree with the buttermilk. Beat the stick of butter and sugar with an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, until fluffy. Add the eggs one by one. By hand, in a large mixing bowl, stir the persimmons into the butter/sugar mix.

Sift dry ingredients together and fold into the persimmon mixture. Pour batter into baking pan, then place the pan in a larger pan, and fill halfway up with warm water. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the pudding is firm at the center, has pulled away from the sides of the pan, and a paring knife inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean.

Serve hot with fresh whipped cream. This keeps well in the refrigerator for four or five days and reheats beautifully in the oven or microwave.

Makes 8-10 servings

This recipe comes from Seasoned in the South: Recipes from Crook’s Corner and From Home by Bill Smith. Algonquin Books, 2006.