Persimmons are a delicious fall and winter fruit perfect for holiday desserts - baked into cookies, cakes, and muffins or transformed into creamy puddings or jams. In this dessert recipe from Jordan Winery they've taken their bountiful crop of persimmons, dried them with the stems on, dipped them in a caramelly Valrhona blond chocolate, then garnished them with artisan sea salt. The result are not only gorgeous but oh so decadently delicious! Jordan's Executive Chef Todd Knoll prefers to use an Excalibur dehydrator (found on Amazon here for under $200) to dry his fruit and says it's one of his favorite kitchen gadgets (read more here about why he loves it and other great things you can use it for).
Note on persimmons: the two most common varieties of persimmons found in the United States are vastly different in terms of when you can consume them. The smaller, squat fuyu (used in this recipe) should be eaten when they are firm, if not crisp, like an apple. The other common variety is the taller and bigger hachiya. You want to wait until this variety is so ripe that it is almost custard-like. It's important to not confuse the two!
Dried Fuyu Persimmons with Dulcey Blond Chocolate and Sea Salt
Courtesy of Jordan Winery
12 Fuyu persimmons
4 oz. Valrhona Dulcey New Blond Chocolate discs or “feves” (about 4 discs per persimmon)
Sel gris for garnish (or any artisan sea salt may be substituted)
Wash and peel fresh persimmons.
Place persimmons, including stem, inside an Excalibur dehydrator. Dry at 135 degrees for 48 hours.
When persimmons have dried, melt new blond chocolate in a double boiler on stove over low heat.
Hold persimmons by the stem and dip in hot chocolate, covering two-thirds of the base. Place on tray lined with parchment paper or silpat and sprinkle persimmons with sea salt.
Once chocolate has dried, move persimmons to serving tray.
Discover more great recipes from Jordan Winery here.
Photo by Erin Malone
