Persimmon Cream Pie

Directions

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.

Purée pulp in a food processor or blender.

Whisk together cream, flour, sugar, and melted butter.

Beat together the yolks, the whole egg, and the vanilla and whisk into cream mixture.

Fold in persimmon pulp. Pour filling into pie shell. Top with a handful (about ½ cup) of praline crumble.

Bake 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.

FOR STICKY PECAN PRALINE CRUMBLE: Toast pecans on a cookie sheet at 350'F about 10 to 15 minutes, tossing them a few times.

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

In a heavy saucepan, bring sugar, water, and cream of tartar to a boil over medium-high heat.

(If crystals form on the sides of the pan, cover the pan for 30 seconds or as long as 5 minutes so steam rinses off the sides.) When the sugar darkens, you may swirl the pan to even the color.

As caramel turns the color of light hay, remove from heat.

Don't let the caramel get too dark, or the sugar will be too brittle to crumble, and it will snap instead.

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.