SERVES 8 – 10

Eva Powell, a former elementary-school librarian in Mitchell, Indiana, has won the town's pudding contest five times with this recipe.

Pulp from enough halved ripe persimmons to
   make 2 cups (about 5 hachiyas)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp. butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Put pulp and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Beat in eggs. Put buttermilk and baking soda into a small bowl, and stir. Add to pulp, and mix well.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into a medium bowl. Gradually add to pulp, stirring until well combined. Add heavy cream, and mix well.

3. Grease a 9'' X 13'' baking dish with some of the butter. Stir remaining butter into batter.

4. Pour batter into dish. Bake until dark brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool. Serve with whipped cream, if you like.