I only have eyes for persimmons right now. Sitting on my kitchen counter is a big pile of fuyu persimmons my friend Lauren so generously dropped off for me. I can the branches of our very slender persimmon tree through the corner of our kitchen window, I impulsively bought it 2 years ago when I saw a gorgeous persimmon tree in our neighborhood and got jealous. This year our persimmon tree has finally started looking more alive than a Harry Potter wand sticking out of the dirt, but still no fruit. Fingers-crossed for next year though! So, if you couldn’t already tell, it is persimmon season!
My love for persimmons runs deep. I’ll be eating a whole fuyu persimmon as an afternoon snack until I can’t find them at the market anymore. It’s always difficult to describe the flavor of persimmon because I don’t think anything tastes quite like it. When a fuyu persimmon is still slightly crisp I think it tastes like a melon but as it ripens and gets sweeter it starts to take on more fall flavor notes like the faintest hint of cinnamon. You just have to go try one for yourself!
A Persimmon PSA
Each persimmon season I end up sharing a persimmon psa because while simply eating a persimmon is one of life’s greatest joys, it’s not common knowledge that there are varieties of persimmons out there that you must wait until a very special moment to eat. The two most common varieties of persimmons that you’ll find at markets are fuyu persimmons and hachiya persimmons. Fuyus are short and squat, resembling a pumpkin, and these can be eaten at anytime, while they are crisp like an apple all the way until they are very tender and super ripe. Hachiya persimmons on the other hand are more elongated, almost heart shaped, and can only be eaten when they are very ripe and squishy. If you try to eat a hachiya persimmon before it’s ripe it’s like you just shoved a bunch of clay in your mouth. It’s a really unpleasant and truly unforgettable experience.
Many people have told me that I can freeze an unripe hachiya persimmon and eat it like sorbet. Something about freezing it will bring out the sugars and it won’t give you cottonmouth. I’ll have to give it a try and report back.
Eating a hachiya persimmon requires a lot of patience and persistence, but when the time is right it’s such a special moment. When it feels like I could easily crush a hachiya persimmon in my hands, I drop whatever I’m doing and enjoy the natural jammy sweetness of Fall’s best fruit! Most of the time I’ll scoop the fruit out and straight into my mouth, swirl it into yogurt, or spread it over toast. On days when I feel like making this moment even more special, I’ll indulge in one of these no-bake cheesecake cups (which is just a lot of cream cheese away from being a yogurt parfait). The layers, the textures, and the bright orange color just brighten my day!
These are so simple to make and I think would be so fun as a dinner party dessert! So, grab some hachiya persimmon now and play the waiting game. You can still make this dessert with ripe fuyu persimmons too. I would recommend peeling them if they aren’t too squishy yet.
No-Bake Persimmon Cheesecake Cups
makes 2 cups (easily doubled or tripled)
6 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup full-fat greek yogurt
2 tbsp honey (or more if needed)
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 very ripe fuyu persimmon, cut in half
1/2 cup finely crushed pretzels, graham crackers, or speculoos cookies
Steps:
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine cream cheese, yogurt, honey, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt until light and smooth.
Grab two 6 oz glasses (or any size) and assemble the cups by layering the crushed pretzels, cheesecake mixture, and scooped persimmon. Top with a final sprinkle of crushed pretzels. Serve immediately or cover and chill in the fridge until ready to serve, up to 3 days.