Persimmon (kaki) is one of the most popular of fruits in Japan. The astringency of hachiya persimmons come from their high level of tannins; they are bitter and chalky and are only edible when they fully
ripen at which point the chalkiness fades and the sweetness of the fruit comes forward. You will know hachiya persimmons are ripened when they become very soft, the flesh translucent and jelly-like, and their skin loses its opacity developing a full brilliant red-orange colour. And this is when they are ready for this recipe a super-quick and uncomplicated dessert inspired by a recent visit to Italy where I tried a similar dish called Cachi al Licore.
Ingredients
- 6 hachiya persimmons, ripened and very soft
- 2 fl oz/¼ cup (50 ml) Amaretto liqueur (or other liqueur of your choice)
- 2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
- 5½ oz (150 g) soft Amaretti biscuits
- 2 tbsp pistachios, lightly crushed
- 4 edible flowers, to decorate (optional)
How to Make It
- Halve the persimmons, scoop out the flesh into a bowl and discard the seeds.
- Lightly mash the flesh with the back of a fork, keeping it rather lumpy, and remove any white strings. Stir in the Amaretto liqueur and sugar and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Just before serving, roughly crumble the Amaretti biscuits and use them to cover the bottom of 4 serving glasses or ramekins. Spoon the persimmon mixture over the biscuits, top with a little more crushed biscuits, the crushed pistachio nuts and an edible flower if you wish, and serve.