Recipe(tried): 3 Variations of Christmas Pudding

This pudding can be made with canned pumpkin, persimmon pulp, or prepared mincemeat (I used the Nonesuch w/ brandy & rum). Actually, yesterday I made it with part mincemeat & part persimmon, and it was really very good (she said modestly!)

All of these can be baked for 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours at 325 , or steamed (my preference) for 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 hours.

Christmas Pudding

1-1/2 C. self-rising flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1-1/4 C. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 C. melted butter
1 C. raisins or chopped cranberries (you can omit these if using mincemeat)
1/2 C. nuts
1-1/2 C. canned pumpkin, pureed persimmon pulp*, or prepared mincemeat

Sift together the dry ingredients; stir in the nuts and raisins/cranberries. In a mixer, mix eggs, butter, and pumpkin, persimmon or mincemeat. Stir the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, and stir quickly to mix thoroughly.

Pour into a well-greased & floured lidded pudding mold, or 1-1/2 qt. ovenproof casserole (if the casserole has no lid, then grease a double layer of foil, cover tightly and tie securely). Bake or steam as provided above, and test with a toothpick or knife. To unmold, let it set on a rack for 10 min., then *carefully* unmold; let it cool to room temperature, or serve warm.

*for persimmon pulp, pick "squishy" ones -- they're sweeter, and the hard ones can be bitter. Peel with a vegetable peeler, or carefully place in boiling water for a few seconds and immediately place in ice water. This lets the peel blister and come off much more easily. Mash with a fork or spin in the food processor a few seconds. 2 baseball-sized persimmons should yield enough pulp.