Three Persimmon Recipes for Autumn

We call persimmons gam at home. 

The fruit, a favorite in my family, is among the first signs of the seasons changing — the hot summer months ending and cresting into the early twilights of autumn. 

Our local hanguk (Korean) market overflows with persimmons in the fall, and I remember these heart-shaped fruits coming home with every trip. As a child, I stared at persimmons with confusion. I could not understand them. They were too sweet, sweeter than Halloween candy. Too firm before ripeness. Too soft when they were ripe. How could anyone enjoy such a thing? 

My mother peeled the fruit with a small paring knife, making long orange ribbons — pliable enough to adorn a gift — then quartering the fruit for the family to eat. She’d urge me to try it, and I would. I’d then discard the solids into a napkin when she looked away. 

It would take me more than a decade to finally try persimmons outside of home. I was with friends at a restaurant in the city. We passed around plates of charred meats, crudo, and dressed vegetables.. There were also persimmons, baked until brown and paired with mascarpone cheese.  To my surprise, the persimmons stole the show and captured my heart. My fixed idea of the fruit dissipated, and I saw a new dimension to the persimmon. 

Ever since, I have crowded my life with the fruit. When I eat a persimmon, raw or cooked, I savor what I taste. I savor the meaning it holds in my family; I savor its uniqueness. The sweetness is no longer overwhelming; it is warm and comforting. Like the fruit ripening, I have grown sweeter, more open, softer. 

Where do persimmons grow? 

In 2022, most of the world’s persimmons were produced in Asia, mainly in China and South Korea. However, in the states, our persimmons primarily come from the southwest, mainly California. Persimmon trees are a hardy and easy fruit tree to plant in most climates. Many people easily grow their own persimmons at home. 

When are persimmons in season? 

Persimmons are in season from  September to November, but in some areas, the fruit can grow until the end of December. 

How can I tell if a persimmon is ripe? 

Persimmons in the United States come in two varietals: Fuyus and Hachiyas. Fuyus are stout and short. Hachiyas are smooth all around and comparatively larger; their shape tapers to a point, much like an ace. A sure sign that both are approaching ripeness is judging the color of their peels. As the peels grow darker and more vibrant, the fruit is more likely ripe. The difference between the two — and this is important —is that fuyus can be eaten raw, whileHachiyas require time to ripen. A Hachiya, when ripe, turns soft, its flesh bordering on gelatinous. A tip: do not eat an  unripe Hachiya! It’s likely bitter and astringent — capable of drying out the entire mouth with a single bite. 

What do persimmons taste like? 

A persimmon’s sweetness is uniquely straightforward. Unlike a peach or even an apple, there is no acidity to balance out this sweetness. Persimmons, however, are not one-note; there are undertones of warming spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg. A persimmon tastes like the fall. 

How can I eat a persimmon? 

My favorite way to eat a persimmon is raw, but they really lend themselves to a whole variety of preparations. 

• Persimmons are a popular fruit in cookies and bread 
• Ripe persimmons can be pureed into preserves and jams
• A peeled, ripe Hachiya, stored overnight in the freezer, can turn into a sorbet-like dessert
• Some eastern Asian cultures peel and hang Hachiya persimmons up using string, letting them air dry for months. This is a process called hoshigaki. Every morning, the fruits are massaged to loosen the sugars inside the fruit. They undergo a transformation where they shrivel up and a fine white powder envelops the flesh. The taste is truly concentrated and delectable. 
• A personal favorite way to enjoy persimmons year-round is drinking persimmon leaf tea, found in the tea section of many east Asian grocers. 

Roasted Persimmons with Whipped Goat Cheese Recipe

These roasted persimmons are an easy, yet interesting, side dish. The sweetness of the persimmons bounces off the funky, savory flavor of the goat cheese. Stabs of garlicky flavor and olive oil buoy this dish into perfect starter territory.

Yield: 4 servings

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

3 Fuyu persimmons, quartered

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup goat cheese

¼ cup cream cheese

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 sourdough baguette (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. 

On a quarter sheet pan, coat the persimmons in olive oil and the tablespoon of honey. Roast the persimmons in the oven for 20 minutes. 

While the persimmons roast, add goat cheese, cream cheese, olive oil, garlic and teaspoon of honey in a food processor and blend until incorporated, light, and fluffy. 

To serve, smear the cheese spread on a plate and pile the persimmons on top. We recommend eating this with a nice, crusty loaf of sourdough. 

Shaved Fennel and Persimmon Salad Recipe

While the previous recipe uses funk and cream to complement the fruit, this salad uses bitter greens like radicchio and arugula and a sharp vinaigrette to cut through the persimmon’s sweetness. There are many extremes here all working to balance each other. Shaving the persimmon thin is a great way of adding bits of sweetness with each bite. 

Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 bulb fennel
4 persimmons
½ white onion
1 clamshell (8oz) of arugula
½ head of radicchio (8oz)

Instructions:

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and dijon mustard in a large mixing bowl. 

Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice up the persimmons, fennel, and onion thin.

Throw the sliced vegetables, arugula, and radicchio together in the bowl with the dressing. Serve immediately. 

Spiced Persimmon Loaf Recipe

This persimmon loaf recipe takes the format of a sweet, fruit loaf (think banana bread) and pumps up the autumnal flavor on all accounts. Warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg meet with the persimmon and bring the best out of each other. 

Yield: 8 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 ripe persimmons (roughly 8 ounces)
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons yogurt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon

To serve: 

Turbinado sugar
1 ripe hachiya persimmon, thinly sliced

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. 

In a small bowl, mash ripe persimmons with a fork. 

With a stand mixer (or by hand), whisk together butter and sugar until fully combined. Add eggs and whisk again until incorporated. Add mashed persimmons, vanilla extract, and yogurt to this mixture and whisk again.

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

Pour the wet mix into the dry and fold with a rubber spatula until incorporated. Do not overmix! 

In a parchment-lined loaf tin, sprinkle turbinado sugar and shingle sliced hachiya persimmons at the bottom of the pan. Pour the loaf mix atop this. 

Bake for 45-50 minutes. Check for doneness using a cake tester. Once done, let the bread rest for an additional 10 minutes before serving. 

Recipes by Abby Park