Snack Recipe: Persimmon Fruit Leather
Although my California fruit calendar says that November is persimmon month, they’ve been showing up in the markets these past few weeks along with another autumnal favorite, pomegranates. Is there anything more beautiful than a persimmon? Even saying the word ‘persimmon’ is a delight, not to mention they are delicious and very versatile. And a little mysterious, too, what with the Fuyu eaten when it’s still hard and the Hachiya eaten when it’s soft.
But here’s the simplest and most delicious of all persimmon recipes. It has just two ingredients: a Fuyu persimmon and cinnamon. Add a little heat and that’s it — pure heaven.
Take one clean Fuyu persimmon and turn it on its side. Using a very sharp knife, cut the persimmon into the thinest slices possible, discarding the top with the four little leaves. Pause for a moment to admire the lovely star pattern and creamy orange interior, then place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet that fits into your toaster oven. Sprinkle very lightly with cinnamon and place in the toaster oven. Turn it on to ‘toast’ and bake for about ten minutes, or until the persimmon slices have started to curl slightly at their edges. (This can probably be done in an oven but I’ve never tried it.)
Let cool slightly before eating, which I do as a sweet snack by just picking them up with my fingers and popping them into my mouth. They’re best if eaten while still warm.
I’ve never known what to call these little bites of deliciousness. To be honest, I’ve always thought of them as ‘those persimmon thingies’ which isn’t very elegant. And making people say ‘persimmon cinnamon’ isn’t fair (try it three times fast!) So Kitchn Readers, what would you call them?
For more information on persimmons, take a look at our What’s the Deal with Persimmons.
(Images: Dana)