Thursday, December 9, 2010

Persimmon & Dried Cherries w/ Brandy Conserve

For the past year I have been a part of a very fun and challenging monthly posting called TigressCanJam. This month's product to use was Dried Fruit, and it may have been one of my favorites.

Fuyu Persimmon & Dried Cherries w/Brandy
I fell in love (okay, maybe even obsessed) with Fuyu Persimmons a while back when I made a Persimmon Rum Raisin Bread Pudding. What can I tell ya, I'm a sucker for a misunderstood fruit (don't even go there.)

To a lot of people, the Persimmon means that oddly orange colored tomato-size thing that supposed to turn your mouth inside-out if you eat it before it's ripe. But, that is only half the story - meaning the other half is that there are TWO kinds of persimmons and the FUYU doesn't fool-you.
The Fuyu can be eaten while it's firm (sliced in salads, baked in breads and muffins, made into jam, eaten raw like an apple), AND when it's soft (baked in puddings, ice cream, candy, cheese and on meats.)
The other Persimmon (and I'm not saying that with an attitude, just a fact) is called the Hachiya. The Hachiya Persimmon can really make the inside of your cheeks squeek if you eat it too soon, but if you wait until it's as soft as pudding, it tastes like a pear and a pumpkin got together and made butter. The FUYU (my fav) looks like a little pin cushion with the dark orange glow of a winter sunset. Then, when you cook these babies down with a little sugar, throw in some dried (oh, yes - oh, yes) CHERRIES - then (hold me back) a good glug of BRANDY; How could you not want to eat this by the spoonful right out of the jar? Yeah, so...maybe that's what I did - I'm not saying.
RECIPE: Persimmon & Dried Cherries with Brandy Conserve
(inspired by Ball Preserving)

5 cups (2.8 lbs) Fuyu Persimmons (peeled and chopped)

2/3 cup (4oz.) Dried Cherries

5 cups (1 lb 14oz) Sugar

3 Tbls. Lemon Juice

2 packets of Liquid natural pectin

1/4 cup Brandy


1) In a large sauce pan bring the persimmons, cherries, sugar and lemon juice to a slow simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often. This will break down the persimmons just a bit and dissolve the sugar.


2) Turn the heat up and bring to a rolling boil for 3 minutes, then stir in the 2 packets of pectin.


3) Return to boiling for 1 minute. Remove from heat and quickly skim, then pour in the Brandy and stir well.


4) Pour into hot, sterilized jars, seal and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.

5) Remove and cool for 24 hours, undisturbed.

Conserve is less jelled than jams or jellies and makes great toppings for pancakes, crepes, meats and on cheese plates.


A huge Thank You to Tigress Can/Jam and her creative ideas and talented work.


Thank you guys for stopping by and I know you "can", so let me know when you do. :D

4 comments:

Gloria said...

I've never used persimmons so you post inspires me to try them now. Thanks for that.

Renata said...

I love persimmons and this is a totally new approach to me! Thanks for sharing!

Paula - bell'alimento said...

Ah sweet persimmons...this look beauty-full!

Khali//Bandit and the Scene Stealers said...

I LOVE persimmons!! I just moved and two of my neighbors have huge persimmon trees. Looks like I am going to need to make friends!