Or know someone who does. I am lucky enough to know someone with connections to some of the finest, sweetest persimmons I have tasted. My friend's gift of a quart of them inspired me to devise this simple way to preserve their unique flavor for up to three months in the freezer.
Persimmon Frozen
Yogurt
This
recipe makes 1 ½ cups of frozen yogurt. The recipe can be easily multiplied if
you have many persimmons. For best results, when making a larger quantity, use
an ice cream freezer to freeze the yogurt, rather than still-freezing as
directed in the recipe. The key to still-frozen desserts is getting them to
freeze as quickly as possible. Make sure all ingredients are thoroughly chilled
before placing in the freezer. Choose a plastic storage container with a tight
fitting lid. A shallow, rectangular container works best. If possible, choose
one that will hold the yogurt mixture to a depth of ½ inch, with another ½ inch
of headspace to allow for expansion. Freeze the yogurt uncovered, but cover the
container after 12 hours to avoid drying out the frozen yogurt.
1 pound ripe persimmons, washed and stemmed
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup Greek-style yogurt, chilled
Process
the persimmons in a food processor, then transfer to a sieve and press out the
pulp with the back of a spoon. You should have ½ to ¾ cup of puree. Discard the
skins and seeds. Place the puree in the refrigerator to chill while you
continue with the recipe.
Toast
the peppercorns in a heavy skillet over high heat until they are fragrant and
begin to smoke. Carefully transfer to a mortar and crack the peppercorns with
the pestle. Place the peppercorns, water and sugar in a small saucepan. Set the
pan over high heat, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the
liquid is reduced to ¼ cup, about 4 minutes.
Remove
the saucepan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.
Strain the cooled syrup through a fine sieve into a bowl and chill it.
When
the syrup is cold, combine it with the persimmon puree and the yogurt. Transfer
the mixture to a suitable container and freeze overnight in the freezer.The frozen yogurt is delicious with poached or baked pears, which are also in season now.
