Persimmon Cake with Crème Fraîche and Maple Pecans

Crisp, crunchy varieties of persimmons, like Fuyus, are great eaten out of hand, sliced into salads, and diced into salsas, but this cake, inspired by farmer James Birch of Flora Bella Farm, is the perfect way to show off the softer Hachiya types, which need to be completely soft before they are eaten. I love that these persimmons actually taste of fall and winter— as if they have been grown in fields of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. It’s very strange but so magical to have those flavors reinforced by the fruit itself. This is a great one for the Thanksgiving or Christmas buffet.

For the maple pecans

• 
  
  1-1/2 cups pecans
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. maple sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. maple syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  
  

Tip:

Maple sugar can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, specialty stores, and of course, online. Although you can substitute turbinado or even brown sugar, the maple sugar makes it extra maple-y and special.

For the cake

• 
  
  1-3/4 cups (approximately 3-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus a little for the pan
  
  


• 
  
  About 3 ripe Hachiya persimmons (to yield 1 cup puréed flesh)
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
  


• 
  
  Pinch ground cloves
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups sugar
  
  


• 
  
  2 extra-large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup crème fraîche
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups maple pecans
  
  

Make the maple pecans

Heat oven to 350° F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Spread evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Bake, stirring every few minutes, for about 10 minutes, or until toasted. Set aside until ready to finish the cake.

Make the cake

Heat the oven to 350° F.

Prepare a 10-inch round cake pan by lightly buttering the inside surfaces, lining the bottom with parchment paper, and buttering the parchment. Cook 4 Tbs. butter (1/2 stick) in a small saucepan over high heat for a few minutes, swirling the pan, until the butter browns and smells nutty. Set aside to cool.

Scoop the ripe flesh from the persimmons, and purée in a blender until smooth. Measure out 1 cup purée.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, the spices, and salt in a small bowl, and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the purée, 1/4 cup cream, vanilla, and cooled browned butter.

Paddle the remaining 1-1/2 cups butter and the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer at medium-high for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each egg. Decrease the paddle speed to low. Alternately add the flour mixture and persimmon-purée mixture to the bowl, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, until cake feels springy to the touch. Whip the remaining 3/4 cup cream and the crème fraîche to soft peaks. Cut six slices from the cake (the cake will yield ten to twelve servings), and place on six dessert plates. Dollop with whipped crème fraîche, and scatter the candied pecans over the cake and around the plate.

Persimmon Cake with Crème Fraîche and Maple Pecans

Crisp, crunchy varieties of persimmons, like Fuyus, are great eaten out of hand, sliced into salads, and diced into salsas, but this cake, inspired by farmer James Birch of Flora Bella Farm, is the perfect way to show off the softer Hachiya types, which need to be completely soft before they are eaten. I love that these persimmons actually taste of fall and winter— as if they have been grown in fields of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. It’s very strange but so magical to have those flavors reinforced by the fruit itself. This is a great one for the Thanksgiving or Christmas buffet.

For the maple pecans

• 
  
  1-1/2 cups pecans
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. maple sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. maple syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  
  

Tip:

Maple sugar can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, specialty stores, and of course, online. Although you can substitute turbinado or even brown sugar, the maple sugar makes it extra maple-y and special.

For the cake

• 
  
  1-3/4 cups (approximately 3-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus a little for the pan
  
  


• 
  
  About 3 ripe Hachiya persimmons (to yield 1 cup puréed flesh)
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
  


• 
  
  Pinch ground cloves
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups sugar
  
  


• 
  
  2 extra-large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup crème fraîche
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups maple pecans
  
  

Make the maple pecans

Heat oven to 350° F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Spread evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Bake, stirring every few minutes, for about 10 minutes, or until toasted. Set aside until ready to finish the cake.

Make the cake

Heat the oven to 350° F.

Prepare a 10-inch round cake pan by lightly buttering the inside surfaces, lining the bottom with parchment paper, and buttering the parchment. Cook 4 Tbs. butter (1/2 stick) in a small saucepan over high heat for a few minutes, swirling the pan, until the butter browns and smells nutty. Set aside to cool.

Scoop the ripe flesh from the persimmons, and purée in a blender until smooth. Measure out 1 cup purée.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, the spices, and salt in a small bowl, and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the purée, 1/4 cup cream, vanilla, and cooled browned butter.

Paddle the remaining 1-1/2 cups butter and the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer at medium-high for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each egg. Decrease the paddle speed to low. Alternately add the flour mixture and persimmon-purée mixture to the bowl, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, until cake feels springy to the touch. Whip the remaining 3/4 cup cream and the crème fraîche to soft peaks. Cut six slices from the cake (the cake will yield ten to twelve servings), and place on six dessert plates. Dollop with whipped crème fraîche, and scatter the candied pecans over the cake and around the plate.

Fuyu Persimmon and Fennel Salad with Hazelnuts

Fuyu persimmons have a subtle, crisp flavor reminiscent of apricots, and a firm texture, making it especially good for savory dishes, like this autumn salad.

• 
  
  6 Tbs. fresh orange juice
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. minced shallot
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
  


• 
  
  4 medium ripe Fuyu persimmons, peeled, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
  
  


• 
  
  2 medium bulbs fennel, trimmed, cored, and very thinly sliced or shaved with a mandoline or vegetable peeler
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely torn if large
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup toasted, peeled hazelnuts, chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
  
  

Put the orange juice, vinegar, shallot, zest, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a small bowl and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes to soften the shallot and meld the flavors. Gradually whisk in the oil.

In a large bowl, toss the persimmons, fennel, and parsley with enough of the vinaigrette to coat (you may not need all of it). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among 6 salad plates and sprinkle with the hazelnuts and Parmigiano-Reggiano.