Persimmon Pie ~ simple ~ delicious ~ dare I say nutritious?
Persimmon Pie with date star decoration
Shown here served with a lemon persimmon topping. To make, use a blender and pulse the whole very ripe persimmon with lemon juice and lemon rind to taste.
Persimmon is a naturally sweet and highly alkaline seasonal fruit that is gaining in popularity. It’s full of fiber, and vitamins like C, A, E and many more. I am lucky enough to have a neighbor who has a huge Hachiya, or the acorn-shaped persimmon tree. This year they harvested over 300 lbs of persimmons, plenty to share.
Hachiya persimmons are astringent until they are super soft and fully ripe. This may require patience. They can be harvested unripe and gently turned and even massaged to assist the ripening process. When you have around 12 of them fully ripened, you are ready to make a pie. If you use the Fuyu or the squatty persimmons, they are less astringent and generally less sweet so you may want to consider adding additional dates. The Fuyu are often more available in grocery stores and still should be fairly soft to use to increase sweetness.
You will notice that this recipe uses no sugar. If the persimmons are fully ripe, they taste much like honey, and no sugar other than the dates is needed. Always taste the batter before you use it to make sure it is sweet enough for your palete!
Tools needed: Pie dish, blender or food processor, measuring cups & spoons
Pre prep notes: Please make the pie crust first so you are ready to pour the filling into crust as soon as it is made. Preheat oven to 350º F.
Pie Filling Ingredients
3 Tbs ground flax mixed with 9 TBS warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes (or 2 eggs for vegetarian version)
2 cups blended persimmons (about 10-12), extremely soft and ripe (see note below*) Remove the stems. DO NOT PEEL**
1 cup warm water, NOT HOT.
2-4 pitted dates (or more for added sweetness)
1 tsp or good salt (Celtic sea salt or Himalayan are great)
1 heaping tsp ground ginger
1 heaping tsp of ground cinnamon
1 heaping tsp of ground cardamom
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 TB arrowroot or tapioca starch
Pie Filling Instructions
Add all ingredients for the pie filling to a blender or processor. Pulse until ingredients are incorporated. Taste for sweetness. Add more dates to taste. Continue to blend on high until filling is fluffy. The filling should be smooth and sweet.
Pie Crust Ingredients
2 cups pecan halves or walnuts (slightly toasted to enhance flavor)
1 cup organic rolled quick oats
9 Medjool dates, halved and pitted
1 TB unrefined coconut oil or grass-fed butter, softened
1 tsp Celtic Sea salt or Himalayan salt
Pie Crust Preparation
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until desired texture is reached. I like a rough texture.
Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes in a bowl to increase binding, adding water as needed (up to 1/4 cup). Do not make it too moist! It is just right when you have a slightly gooey ball.
Press dough evenly and around sides of 9” glass or ceramic pie pan.
Putting it all together
Pour filling evenly into prepared pie crust. Bake for about 35-40 more minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean, it is done.
Let cool completely before cutting. Serve with vanilla ice cream or your favorite whipped cream! Or, as shown above, sliced dates or pecans on top.
*Note: about persimmon varieties here and options
**Note: The skin of the persimmons contain many delicate nutrients. Persimmons need to be fully soft and ripe for this recipe.
2 cups pecan halves
1 cup organic rolled instant oats
1/2 cup diced dates
1 TBS oil, olive or coconut
1 tsp good quality sea salt
crust Recipe ~ make first
Add the ingredients to a food processor and blend til fairly smooth allowing for texture in the mixture to your taste.
Kneed the dough for 3-5 minutes in a bowl to increase binding adjusting for moisture with water, up to 1/4 Cup. Do not make too moist, it should form a slightly gooey ball when the kneeling is enough.
Press into a glass or ceramic pie tin, evenly around the sides and bottom
Pie recipe
Remove the stems from the persimmons, you leave the skins on as they contain many delicate nutrients. If the persimmons are fully soft and ripe, the skins are not astringent.
Add all ingredients for the pie filling to a blender and blend on high until whipped. Taste the batter, it should be smooth and sweet. If it is not sweet enough, add another date.
NOTE: You should have 5 or so cups of filling, you can add additional water to accommodate.Bake at 350º and bake for about 35-40 more minutes. Stick a toothpick in the middle to see if it is done.
Let cool and serve with a vanilla ice cream or your favorite whipped cream!
A final note, if you have any leftover pie ingredients, add them to muffin tins and make tarts.
Please comment below with pictures of the pies you made with this recipe!