Persimmon Cream Pie -

--FILLING-- 1 1/2 c persimmon pulp; (5-6 fruits)

1 1/2 c cream

2 tb flour

2 tb unsalted butter; melted

4 egg yolks

1 egg; whole

1 ts vanilla extract

--STICKY PECAN PRALINE CRUMBLE-- 2 c pecan halves or pieces

1 c sugar

1/4 c water

1/8 ts cream of tartar

For best results, persimmons must be riper than you think they are. They ripen best at room temperature, points up -- no bags, no ripening bowls. When they look rotten, shriveled, and feel like there's jelly under their skins, they're ready. This can take weeks.

PERSIMMON FILLING: Set oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 450'F. Scoop persimmon pulp out of skins, discarding seeds and leaves. Puree pulp in a food processor or blender.

1/2 cup

10 minutes at

450'F. Reduce heat to

350'F and bake

50 minutes to

1 hour more. Rotate pie if crust begins to overbrown, or cover rim

with a foil strip. Filling will nearly boil when done.

350'F about 10 to 15 minutes, tossing them a few times.

start to smell toasted when they need to come out of the oven.) Butter another cookie sheet and set aside.

30 seconds or as long as

5 minutes so steam rinses off the sides.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in toasted nuts, mixing to coat them very well. Spread caramel-coated nuts out on the buttered cookie sheet, cool 1 hour, then chop coarsely with a knife (a food processor causes the caramel to stick and clump).

You can store the surplus in a tightly covered jar at room temperature for three months.

Source: "Gooey Desserts" by Elaine Corn --