Persimmon Tarte Tatin, Crème Fraîche

persimmon tarte tatin

Fuyu Persimmon Tarte Tatin

Persimmon is a most understood fruit. Those who “hate” persimmon probably do so as a result of a confusion between fuyu and hachiya varieties.

If you attempted to eat an unripe hachiya, that is certainly the cause of your disgust. An unripe hiachya is super-tannic and can taste like chalk or bark. Or worse. Its astringency makes it totally unpalatable. A fully ripe hachiya, however, has the consistency of jelly and is sweet and rich. And a ripe fuyu has a firm texture and tastes like a honey-flavored apple. Now, who “hates” that?

Persimmon has the pizzazzy color and flavor of autumn and makes a great fruit for a tarte tatin. Be sure to use fuyu persimmons and save the RIPE hachiya for something else.

Persimmon Tarte Tatin Recipe

turkey salt & pepper shakers

  • 1/3 + c. sugar
  • 1/3 + c. butter
  • 3 – 4 fuyu persimmons, cut into quarters or sixths
  • a couple pinches each, ground cinnamon and sea salt
  • 2 T. cognac
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Heat butter and sugar in a tarte tatin pan or oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until caramelized. Add persimmon in a symmetrical fashion, splash Cognac over the fruit, sprinkle cinnamon and sea salt, then cook an additional 5 minutes. Cut a sheet of puff pastry into a round slightly larger than the pan. Turn off the heat and lay the pastry over the fruit. Tuck the edges under the fruit and cut a few steam holes in the pastry.

Bake in a 400° oven on the top shelf for 20 + minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes Loosen the edges with a small heat-resistant spatula and invert onto a platter. Serve immediately.

persimmon tarte tatin
Here we have the irresistible color and flavors of Autumn on a plate. Serve slices of warm persimmon tarte tatin with crème fraîche. Its slightly sour, nutty flavor and velvety texture make it the perfect accompaniment.

Jett’s Cinnamon Sugar Puff Pastry “Corners” with Chocolate Sauce


One of my greatest joys of the holidays is cooking with my nephews. So…once we trimmed the puff pastry sheet into a circle, we had four corners left over. We placed the “corners” on a small un-greased baking pan. Jett brushed the pastry with melted butter and sprinkled it with sugar and cinnamon.


We baked the corners along with the tarte tatin until they were puffed and golden too.We served them with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Persimmon tarte tatin with crème fraîche for the adults, “corners” with chocolate sauce for the kids. Perfect.

persimmon tarte tatin

Jett and I send best wishes for a perfectly warm and wonderful holiday from our family to yours.

Happy Thanksgiving!

24 thoughts on “Persimmon Tarte Tatin, Crème Fraîche”

  1. The splash of cognac is a touch of cooking genius…..and I like how you used the corners of the puff pastry that I always hate throwing away!

  2. A friend of mine just gave me six persimmons from her tree yesterday. The trouble with baking with them is that they never ripen all at once. But I’d love to try your tarte someday. Happy Thanksgiving.

  3. That is beautiful! I’ll definitely file this recipe for tarte tatin with my favorites for ripe local fruits! Wish I could download a slice!

  4. Oh Lori Lynn, you are such a temptress! I love persimmons, they are the perfect late fall fruit. When I think of November in Rome, I smell persimmons and see dark branches against blue winter skies and orange fruit hanging from slender twigs, orange and red leaves on the ground. In Washington DC, walking along the Potamac, I often found small, wild persimmons. They are rather small, smaller than plums, but very tasty once they turn soft.

    I’ll have to make this tarte, thank you for the recipe!

    A very happy Thanksgiving holiday to you and your loved ones,
    Merisi

  5. I’ve never had one. Shhh. Never knew what to do with them. I need a nudge pout of my cmfort zone. That tarte is so autumn-like – and in MN – I hold autumn dear. I think it would wave away Father Winter for at least November. I shall look for persimmons. You gave me courage. Happy Thanksgiving, LL. May your table be filled with grace and gratitude.

  6. Poor persimmons, so misunderstood… Your gorgeous autumnal tart is sure to tempt everyone to give the fuyu a chance – I found that their flavor marries very well with chocolate chunks in some muffins I made last fall. Love the creative way you and Jett made a dessert that pleased everyone! Happy Thanksgiving, LL!

  7. May I say persimmons are a lost wonder. So few people work with them and that is a pity. One of my favorite holiday desserts is persimmon pudding. I think this will become a new favorite.

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