Easy Persimmon Custard Pudding

Custard is an old fashioned dessert made with milk, sugar, and eggs. It is the quickest dessert you can ever make, and it is delicious and comforting. Fruit custard is my favorite when it comes to easy no-fuss dessert. Fruit flavored custard is the perfect last-minute dessert idea for entertaining. The basic custard recipe is simple, and it is versatile- you can use it in a million ways, like pastry cream, cake filling, and tarts. But the simplest way to serve the luscious creamy custard is chilled with chopped fruits or jelly. Persimmon pudding has a delectable fruity flavor and a creamy gel like consistency. The pudding is a great time-saver, and you can make it ahead of time. Your guests will be impressed. I have already shared a baked Easy Persimmon Pudding. Persimmon is in season during the fall and winter months, so there is no better time to try this recipe.

Persimmon is exotic looking, with a deep orange color. When ripe, it has a distinctive flavor, creamy texture. When fully ripe, it is sweet with a honey-like taste and is ideal for desserts. The most important thing about persimmon is to let it ripe and get soft. The unripe one has an astringent flavor. When it is fully ripe, it will be soft to touch, almost like an overripe tomato. At this stage, it will be thick jelly-like, juicy, and sweet. There are so many recipes with persimmon, like pies and puddings, fruit salads, frozen desserts, or sweet preserves. Persimmons can be eaten fresh, dried, or cooked. In India, it is known as, Amar phal meaning immortal fruit. It was considered a medicinal fruit and was used, in Ayurveda/ Indian traditional medicine. It is power-packed with essential nutrients and antioxidants. It is rich in fiber, boost heart health, and reduce inflammation.

Persimmon pudding tastes delicious by itself. If you are planning this pudding for entertaining, here are some ways you can make it even more delicious. It pairs well with whipped cream, ice cream, or topped with nuts and sweet cherries. Add nut paste to the custard for a rich nutty flavor. Cashew nuts and almonds go well with the custard sauce. You can add chia seeds for a more healthy breakfast pudding. It is best when served chilled. Give this recipe a try, you will surely love it.

Custard is a thick creamy sauce made of milk, sugar, and egg yolk. There are two ways to make custard- the traditional egg custard and the one with custard powder. If you don’t want to include eggs in the pudding, custard powder is a great substitute. Custard powder contains cornflour and it thickens to form a custard-like sauce when mixed with hot milk and heated. It is available in Indian grocery stores. It is mixed with hot milk and cooked until it is slightly thick. It will thicken as it chills.

For the egg-based custard, combine egg yolks with milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. The thickening agent is cornstarch. If you are unable to find custard powder, you can substitute with corn starch and vanilla extract. Condensed milk also adds great flavor and taste to the custard. Check the recipe below for two ways to make the custard, traditional egg custard, and the quick and easy custard.

Easy Persimmon Custard Pudding Recipe

Ingredients
Milk- 3 cups
Custard powder ( vanilla flavored)- 3 tbs
Condensed milk- 1/2 tin
Thick persimmon puree- 1 cup
Water- 1/3 cup
Sugar- 1/4 cup
Gelatin- 1 tsp (optional)
Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp

In a bowl, add custard powder and pour 1/3 cup of warm milk. Mix to make a smooth lump-free paste of custard powder and keep aside. Sprinkle gelatin in cold water and let it sit for 10 minutes.
In a saucepan, bring milk to a boil and add sugar. When it dissolves, stir in the custard paste and continuously stir till the mixture thickens. Add the soaked gelatin to warm milk, and mix it till completely dissolved. Take off from heat and allow it to cool. Let the custard cool to room temperature.
Peel and puree persimmon and stir in condensed milk and set aside ( you can use fruits like mango, strawberry, lychee, avocado, etc for a different flavor). Whisk this puree into the custard sauce. Pour into molds or small bowls. Cover with cling wrap chill in the refrigerator for two to three hours. Garnish and serve.

Custard sauce with eggs
Ingredients
Milk- 3 cups
Thick persimmon puree- 1 cup
Egg yolks-2
Sugar- 1/2 cup + 2 tbs
Corn starch- 3 tbs
Gelatin- 1 tsp
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp

Peel and puree the persimmons and stir in condensed milk, and chill in the refrigerator. Sprinkle gelatin in cold water and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Bring milk to a boil and keep it at a low simmer. Mix sugar and let it dissolve completely. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks. Add 1/2 cup of warm milk and whisk. Gradually pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot milk while continuously whisking. Keep whisking for 3 minutes, in medium flame for the egg custard to cook, or temperature reaches 190 F. In a separate bowl, mix corn starch with some milk or water to make a lump-free paste. Mix this to the egg custard and whisk till the mixture thickens to the desired consistency. Strain it using a mesh strainer. Mix vanilla extract, soaked gelatin and persimmon puree. Pour into molds or small bowls. Cover with cling wrap chill in the refrigerator for two to three hours. Garnish and serve.