Persimmons are definitely a fruit that’s underrated. If you haven’t used them before, now is a good time to give them a try. Where we are, here in Canada, you start seeing them in the grocery stores around October. A bit pricey at first but they get better as the winter rolls along. Persimmons are in season between November and February. Mildly sweet and juicy with a slight crunch reminiscent of a cross between a peach and a pear. Since there is only a short window in which you can enjoy this exotic fruit, persimmons make up for it by working well in both sweet and savory recipes. Treat them like you would an apple and turn them into jams, puree, tarts and cakes. Paired with pork adds a nice fruity and caramelizing sweetness.
The persimmon is Japan’s national fruit. The most commonly found varieties are the ‘Hachiya’, round with a slightly elongated, pointed base and the ‘Fuyu’, smaller and more tomato shaped. When ripe, both have a red-orange skin and flesh, creamy texture and a tangy-sweet, vanilla like flavor. Persimmons are usually sold unripe, so leave them on the counter for a day or two until the skin deepens to a rich sunset orange.
Classic apple pie gets a seasonal, honey sweet twist when mixed with fresh persimmons and a crunchy topping in this apple persimmon crumble pie.
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Persimmon Apple Crumble Pie
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Instructions
Pastry
Remove the dough disk from refrigerator & roll out onto a lightly floured surface into a 12" round about ⅛" thick.
Gently transfer the rolled dough into a deep dish 9" pie pan, leaving a 1-2" overhang all the way around.
Tuck the edge underneath itself to form a ring around the edge of the pie plate. Flute the edges by pinching the dough between your thumb & pointer finger on one hand & your pointer finger knuckle on the other. Place the pie shell in the freezer to keep chilled while you prepare the filling.
Filling
Peel & core the apples & persimmons, then cut into ⅛"- ¼" slices. Place in a large mixing bowl & toss with the lemon juice, sugars, & spices. Set aside for at least 15 minutes so the juices begin to release from the fruit.
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Crumble Topping
Combine the cold butter cubes, flour, sugars, oats, almonds, salt & cinnamon together in a large bowl. Use your hands to work the butter into the other ingredients until coarse crumbles the size of peas form.
Assemble/Bake
Pour the apple filling into the bottom shell, forming a mound that is taller in the center of the pie.
Whisk the egg & water until blended. Gently brush the exposed, fluted edges of the pie with the egg wash. Sprinkle the crust with coarse sugar. Top pie evenly with crumble topping.
Bake at 400 F. for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375 F. & bake for another 30-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumble topping turns a deep golden color, you may need to cover the edges and or/tent the pie to keep from over-browning. The fruit should be just soft when poked with a toothpick. Allow to cool on a rack for at least 1-3 hours before serving.
Cream Topping
Whip together sour cream & vanilla sugar.
Serve with your choice of 'cream topping', vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.
Speculoos, also known as speculaas in Dutch, spéculoos in French, and Spekulatius in German, is a type of spiced short crust biscuit.
Speculoos originated from the County of Flanders, which encompasses present-day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The Dutch crafted speculoos using wheat flour, brown sugar, butter, and traditional speculaas spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and ginger. These spiced biscuits are usually flat and often molded with traditional images, especially around the feast of St. Nicholas (Dutch: Sinterklaas).
While historically associated with holiday treats like Dutch Windmill Cookies, Biscoff Cookies, and German Spekulatius Spice Cookies its versatility extends beyond these traditional uses. There are several ways to incorporate speculoos spice into your culinary creations such as:
- Add a touch of speculoos spice to your classic chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- Toss whole almonds with melted butter, sugar, and a generous sprinkle of speculoos spice then roast them in the oven until golden and fragrant for a tasty snack or edible gift.
- Stir a pinch of speculoos spice into your favorite warm beverages.
- Sprinkle speculoos spice over waffles, pancakes, or French toast.
- Create a no-churn ice cream by infusing your base with speculoos spice. Enjoy it on its own or as a delightful topping for apple pie, crepes, or other seasonal desserts.
In this recipe the rhubarb and nectarine pair wonderfully with the warm, spiced flavors of speculoos creating a decadent tart.
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Rhubarb Speculoos Tarts
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Base
Preheat oven to 320 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the speculoos in the bowl of a food processer & process until finely ground. Add the salt, process once or twice then turn into a medium-sized bowl & mix in the melted butter until you have a sort of dough.
Place six 3-inch (7.5cm) metal rounds on the baking sheet & press equal amounts of the dough into each one, using a metal soup spoon to press them so they are even around the edges. Make a slight indentation in the center. Place in the center of the pre-heated oven & bake about 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Rhubarb
Place the water, sugar, ginger, vanilla in a medium saucepan & bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the syrup is boiling, whisking from time to time, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rhubarb, stir gently so it is mixed with the syrup & return the syrup to a low boil. Shake the pan & watch the rhubarb as it cooks & stir if necessary. Depending on its texture, the rhubarb will cook in about 1-1/2 minutes, though it can take up to 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat. With a slotted spoon remove rhubarb carefully to a plate. Whisk in 1 Tbsp of cornstarch . Continue whisking until cornstarch is dissolved & syrup is thickened. Remove from heat & cool for a couple of minutes the gently stir in rhubarb. Allow rhubarb to cool until ready to assemble.
Cream
Whisk the sour cream with the vanilla sugar.
Assemble
Carefully remove tart bases from rings. Lay equal numbers of nectarine slices atop the crust with the skin out to the edge. Top with sour cream/vanilla sugar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour.
To serve, top with rhubarb sauce & serve immediately.
The term ‘mandarin’, sometimes called ‘kid-glove oranges’, is characterized by deep orange skin with easy peeling and separation of sections. This popular widely known fruit goes by a variety of names, creating some possible confusion at times as to which plant one is dealing with. Commonly known as mandarin in much of the world, the fruit is most often called tangerine in North America.
The tangerine has a long history. Its name comes from Tangiers in Morocco, the port where the fruit was first shipped to Europe and Florida in the United States in the 1800s. But prior to that, tangerines had been cultivated in China and Japan for over 3,000 years.
This light, summery dessert combines the ever-popular flavor pairing of orange and chocolate. Elegant and easy at the same time. Perfect for a summer dessert!
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Mandarin Jelly w/ Chocolate Mousse
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Jelly
Soak gelatin in juice for 10 minutes. Heat until gelatin & sugar dissolve. It is important not to bring to a boil, otherwise everything will deteriorate. Strain & pour into serving molds to 2/3 of the height. Cover jellies & place in the refrigerator.
Chocolate Mousse
IMPORTANT NOTE: This shortcut mousse sets quickly so wait to prepare it when your jelly is set.
In a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder & instant pudding powder. Add the heavy whipping cream & mix with an electric mixer on medium-high for 1 minute.
Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip & make a large swirl on top of jelly. Garnish with zest if desired.
Recipe Notes
- I just used some simple syrup to candy the tangerine zest but they are fine just left plain.
