I don't make these very often because I usually hang my Hachiya persimmons in gallows to make hoshigaki. But I had a few persimmons that were too ripe for that process and remembered a recipe that Jenn's aunt Marguerite had shared. I used Marguerite's recipe as a starting point and adapted it to what I had.
I also sent a photo to Marguerite's daughter, Sarah, who told me that these were a little too ball-like; they needed to be flattened. I will try that next time.
These are soft and chewy...almost cakey...which is not my preferred cookie texture. I like cookies that are crisp. My husband's response was even more pointed, "Those do not look delicious." But, when he tried them, he liked them. So, they are brutti ma buoni (ugly but good).
Ingredients
makes approximately 30 cookies
There are two main kinds of persimmons that I see in the markets here - fuyu and hachiya. Fuyu are flat and eaten while they are firm; I usually just peel and slice.
Hachiya are elongated and can only be eaten when they are ripe, that is to say mushy like a custard or jam. If you ever try to eat a hachiya while still firm, it's an experience you won't soon forget. There is now a third kind that I saw this year, an amagaki persimmon, which is a hybrid between the fuyu and the hachiya. When the hachiyas are ripe, they are an almost neon orange. They are stunning to the point of looking artificial!
1 cup persimmon pulp (it took 3 Hachiya but will depend on the size of the your persimmons)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup organic dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup toasted, shelled pistachios
Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Place pulp in a small mixing bowl and sprinkle baking soda over the pulp.
Place butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Beat until lightened and creamy. Add in the persimmon pulp and egg. Beat until well-combined. Add in the flour and spices. Stir in the cherries and pistachios.
Scoop cookie batter onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes. The cookies will be browned and firm to the touch.
As Sarah suggested, I will try to flatten them a little bit next time. Stay tuned!
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