Persimmon Heaven

                                          Baked Persimmons with Pomegranate Molasses

This very simple dish is proving to be a real hit with everyone who tastes it. I have been saying for some time now that if you don’t yet know pomegranate molasses, you haven’t lived; the very distinctive tart fruit flavour complements so many dishes, (including roasted beetroot segments, incidentally – simply drizzle a little molasses over as they come out of the oven – sublime!).

Use Fuyu persimmons that are softening –these are usually eaten as soon as they colour, and are crisp, like an apple, but for this recipe they are sweeter when ripened a little more. The butter gives a lovely gloss and the syrup is both sweet and tart, a perfect foil to the fruit.

Serves 4-6

Suitable for freezing. If using a wider dish, shorten the cooking time to suit.

1 kg persimmons, peeled and sliced thinly

3 star anise

3 Tbsp grated palm sugar or brown sugar

3 Tbsp pomegranate molasses

¼ cup roughly chopped walnuts

30g butter

Pre heat oven to 180 C.

Place the prepared persimmons in an 20cm round ovenproof dish, tucking the star anise amongst the layers. Sprinkle with the  palm or brown sugar and drizzle over the pomegranate molasses. Top with the walnuts and dot with the butter.

Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes, or until the persimmons are well softened.

Serve with vanilla ice cream, mascarpone or plain yoghurt (or salted caramel and cashew ice cream!).