Persimmon Tarte Tatin, Crème Fraîche

Fuyu Persimmon Tarte Tatin

Persimmon is a most understood fruit. Those who “hate” persimmon probably do so as a result of a confusion between fuyu and hachiya varieties.

If you attempted to eat an unripe hachiya, that is certainly the cause of your disgust. An unripe hiachya is super-tannic and can taste like chalk or bark. Or worse. Its astringency makes it totally unpalatable. A fully ripe hachiya, however, has the consistency of jelly and is sweet and rich. And a ripe fuyu has a firm texture and tastes like a honey-flavored apple. Now, who “hates” that?

Persimmon has the pizzazzy color and flavor of autumn and makes a great fruit for a tarte tatin. Be sure to use fuyu persimmons and save the RIPE hachiya for something else.

Persimmon Tarte Tatin Recipe

1/3 + c. sugar
1/3 + c. butter
3 – 4 fuyu persimmons, cut into quarters or sixths
a couple pinches each, ground cinnamon and sea salt
2 T. cognac
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Heat butter and sugar in a tarte tatin pan or oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until caramelized. Add persimmon in a symmetrical fashion, splash Cognac over the fruit, sprinkle cinnamon and sea salt, then cook an additional 5 minutes. Cut a sheet of puff pastry into a round slightly larger than the pan. Turn off the heat and lay the pastry over the fruit. Tuck the edges under the fruit and cut a few steam holes in the pastry.

Bake in a 400° oven on the top shelf for 20 + minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes Loosen the edges with a small heat-resistant spatula and invert onto a platter. Serve immediately.

Here we have the irresistible color and flavors of Autumn on a plate. Serve slices of warm persimmon tarte tatin with crème fraîche. Its slightly sour, nutty flavor and velvety texture make it the perfect accompaniment.

Jett’s Cinnamon Sugar Puff Pastry “Corners” with Chocolate Sauce

One of my greatest joys of the holidays is cooking with my nephews. So…once we trimmed the puff pastry sheet into a circle, we had four corners left over. We placed the “corners” on a small un-greased baking pan. Jett brushed the pastry with melted butter and sprinkled it with sugar and cinnamon.

We baked the corners along with the tarte tatin until they were puffed and golden too.We served them with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Persimmon tarte tatin with crème fraîche for the adults, “corners” with chocolate sauce for the kids. Perfect.