Since September, I’ve been dreaming up all the ways I can consume persimmons that aren’t just eating them raw. What sparked me was an episode in The Longest Day in Chang’an where the main character, Zhang Xiaojing just got out of prison and went straight to your corner shop, enjoyed his bowl of Mutton Soup and then sipped a bright red persimmon through a straw! While the variety “huojing” isn’t something easily available in the US Market, hachiyas are quite common. Hachiyas, when firm, are astringent. I tried peeling one, like I would a fuyu, and after eating a bite, tossed the entire thing away. Then I painstakingly waited for weeks for the others to ripen up so I could enjoy its sweet, jammy pulp (and I did that on a pan de muerto. Yum!), similar to the one in the show.
Interestingly enough, this recipe is something I did not plan for in September. It came to me on a whim because I didn’t want to fire up my oven. I remember making Minimalist Baker’s No- Bake Carrot Bite years ago, and thought to myself, “I could swap out some of the ingredients and make something similar.” This recipe requires fuyu persimmons, which are round and squat, like a small pumpkin. Hachiyas won’t work for this recipe, as it is way too gooey when ripe.
Enjoy persimmon season! It’s short but oh, so sweet!
No- Bake Persimmon Bites
Makes 20 1 inch bites
Ingredients:
¾ cup finely chopped persimmons
¾ cup dried apricots
1 ½ cup walnuts
2 tsp vanilla
A pinch of salt
¾ tsp cinnamon
1 cup almond flour
Grape nuts or cinnamon sugar for dusting
In a food processor, add apricots and blend until it forms into a ball. Remove apricots and put them in a mixing bowl.
Add walnuts, vanilla, salt and cinnamon to the food processor and pulse until you have a grainy meal. Add to the apricots in the mixing bowl.
Add almond flour and mix using a mixer.
When thoroughly combined, use a small scoop to scoop into balls. You may need to roll them between your hands.
Roll them in grape nuts or cinnamon sugar before serving.
Inspired by: https://minimalistbaker.com/no-bake-carrot-cake-bites/#wprm-recipe-container-42364
Hey It's Jen Lou 