Happy Veganuary 2026! Day 1 Persimmon Pudding Recipe - Video

Happy New Year and Happy Veganuary 2026! Here is the link to #Veganuary to take their 31 day challenge!
https://veganuary.com/en-ca/partner/canada-coalition/

And here are the revisions to Martha Stewart's Persimmon Pudding recipe, making it vegan!
Ingredients:
• 4 ½ tablespoons unsalted vegan butter, softened, plus more for mold
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup brandy
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• 4 soft persimmons
• 1 cup oat milk
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons chia seed
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, dissolved in 1 ½ tablespoons hot water
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
(I used almonds because of my nut allergy)
• ¼ cup finely chopped candied ginger
• Oven-Dried Persimmon Slices, for garnish

Directions
Slice one persimmon thinly and place in the oven at 250˚F for 1-1/2 hours.
Butter a 12-cup pudding mold. Fill a large pot fitted with a steamer insert with enough water to come halfway up mold (test this with an empty mold); set aside. (I didn’t have a steamer basket large enough so I just rested a bunt pan on the edge of the pot and blocked the hole in the middle and wrapped the top with tin foil.
Sift flour, spices, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Put brandy and sultanas into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil to remove the alcohol. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Drain; discard liquid. Set raisins aside.
Meanwhile, slice tops off persimmons. Scoop out flesh. Puree in a bowl with a hand blender, discarding skins (you should have 1 1/2 cups persimmon puree). Whisk in milk; set aside.
Combine chia seed with 8-1/2 tablespoons of water and set aside for a few minutes.
Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in chia seed mixture, vanilla, and lemon juice. Add persimmon mixture in 2 batches, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Mix in baking soda mixture. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in nuts, raisins, and ginger. Pour into prepared mold; cover with buttered parchment and lid.
Bring water in prepared pot to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Carefully lower mold into steamer. Cover pot, and steam until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure water level is maintained (add hot water as needed).
Transfer mold to a wire rack; remove lid and parchment. Let cool 15 minutes. Unmold pudding onto a plate, and cut into slices. Serve with baked persimmon slices.