Persimmon Pie

 No fancy musings this time, just good ole fashioned recipe-in'. Persimmons are a seasonal delight, very sweet and delicious. Why there is even one person who doesn't like them is beyond me, although I have been told that some "people" don't like chocolate. People. Allegedly. Seriously, though. No beating around the persimmon tree. This recipe comes from Southern Pies by Nancie McDermott. I've also made the sweet potato and pumpkin pies from this same book...all to die for.

Should you find persimmons as irresistible and more-ish as I do, here are a couple of other great recipes:

Two Peas in Their Pod-Persimmon Cookies

The Pastry Affair-Persimmon Cake

Persimmon Pie with Homemade Crust

Ingredients:

  Pastry for  9-inch Single-Crust Pie
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten well
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups persimmon pulp


Directions:

  I have never seen where you can buy canned persimmon pulp/pie filling, but processing your own is nooooooo problemo. If you use domesticated persimmons, there are no seeds to worry about, but wild persimmons will need to be pushed through a fine mesh sieve to remove approximately 5 billion little seeds.

My experience is that a ripe persimmon feels like a ripe pear. Firm, but with give. And like pears, a very soft persimmon is not necessarily bad, to a point. This can actually sweeten the persimmon.

  

 

For firmer fruit, peel the skin, slice in half, and remove the stems. For extremely ripe fruit, simply cut open and scoop out pulp.

 

Add to food processor and leave it on until you have a smooth consistency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

 

  If using a homemade crust, fit into greased pie pan, crimp edges decoratively, and set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. 

Mix well.

 

 

 

In another bowl, mix milk, eggs, and butter.

 

I looooooove evaporated milk. It makes good all things.

 

Add the milk mixture to the sugar mixture and combine until smooth.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 Add persimmon pulp, stir to combine everything into a smooth custard.

 

Pour filling into pie crust and place in the center of the middle shelf of the oven. After 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes more.

 

Remove pie when it is firm, shiny, and cracking around the edges.

 

Let cool on a kitchen towel or cooling rack for at least 45 minutes before serving. 

Very lightly sweetened fresh whipped cream is a perfect topping for this not-quite-pumpkin-or-sweet-potato pie flavor.

 

 

 

 

 

If you're not a fan of pie, persimmons are great on their own, mixed into oatmeal or smoothies, or any other way you can imagine!  Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your pie! 

 

All photos by Michelle Chasser/Brainchild Theories