PERSIMMON PUDDING 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans 2 ripe Hachiya persimmons 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar 2 eggs 1 cup milk 3/4 cup golden raisins Boiling water, as needed 1/3 cup brandy Vanilla ice cream, optional

Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter a 2-quart steamed pudding mold and its cover.

Spread pecans on baking sheet; toast 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool. Lower oven temperature to 350°F.

Cut tops from each persimmon, then cut in half. Scrape pulp from skin into blender or food processor fitted with metal blade. Purée until smooth; you should have 1 cup purée.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

In another bowl, combine persimmon pulp, brown sugar, eggs and milk; whisk until blended. Gradually stir persimmon mixture into flour mixture until fully combined. Let stand about 20 minutes, until thickened to consistency of thin sour cream.

Stir pecans and raisins into batter. Pour into prepared mold; cover with well-buttered waxed paper, overlapping rim slightly, and place cover on mold. Place mold in larger baking pan in oven. Pour enough boiling water into baking pan to reach one third up the sides of mold.

Bake 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until set and fork inserted into the center comes out clean; check periodically and add water as needed to maintain its original level. Remove mold from baking pan and let stand, covered, 10 minutes.

To serve, remove cover, invert pudding onto plate and lift off mold.

In small saucepan, over medium heat, warm brandy until it begins to bubble around the edges. Immediately remove from heat and ignite with a match. Pour flaming brandy over warm pudding. When flame dies, serve pudding at once, topped with ice cream, if wanted.

Serves 6 to 8.

[Holiday Cooking & Entertaining, Woman's Day Specials]