PERSIMMON À L'ENVERS
You may have seen persimmons hanging from many an LA restaurant where wool hats and bad energy can be found year ‘round. I, however, prefer these vermilionish beauties as intended—to be eaten; ripened and adorning my Persimmon à L'envers (or, as loosely translated as them dangling Diospyros virginiana, ‘Persimmon Upside Down’). My take on this traditional American pudding consists of a lightly sweetened sponge with a tender crumb to balance the rich, almost treacly butterscotch topping which doesn’t overshadow the ‘honey-like’ flavor and mild tannin of the fruit.
PREP/BAKE TIME: 65 Minutes
Makes 8 – 10 Servings
INGREDIENTS
TOPPING:
¼ Cup (½ Stick) – Unsalted Butter
½ Cup – Dark Brown Sugar
1 Tsp – Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Large – Persimmons, Peeled and Sliced (About ¼”)
CAKE:
1 ½ Cups – AP Flour
¾ Cup – Granulated Sugar
1 Tsp – Baking Powder
1 Tsp – Baking Soda
½ Tsp – Fine Salt
2 Large – Eggs
1 Cup – Buttermilk
½ Cup – Vegetable Oil
1 Tsp – Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp – Distilled White Vinegar
THE NITTY GRITTY
Pre-heat oven to 400° F. In a 10” baking pan, greased and dusted with flour and lined with parchment, arrange persimmons along the bottom of pan.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat butter at medium high till melted. Add brown sugar; cook till dissolved. Add vanilla and stir. Pour mixture over fruit; spread with an offset spatula or bottom of spoon.
For the cake: In a large mixing bowl add dry ingredients—whisk to blend—followed by wet. Mix to combine using a whisk, hand or standing mixer (whichever you have). Spoon cake mixture evenly over persimmons and butterscotch; bake on middle oven rack for 50 minutes, or till toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for 30 minutes on a wired rack before removing from pan. The cake will be ready to slice and serve, too. Otherwise you can let the cake cool completely for 2 hours.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or custard and enjoy.
DECEMBER 20, 2019
