The persimmon tart is a straightforward and elegant dessert for the winter season! The honey and ginger glaze enhances the natural sweet characteristics of the persimmon, and the custard cream filling provides a nice contrast in texture to the delicate puff pastry shell.
Persimmons are a delightful treat during the winter season. The Fuyu Japanese varietal of persimmon looks like a pumpkin-shaped orange tomato. However, the flavor is very sweet and slightly tangy with a crunchy to soft texture depending on how long you allow the fruit to ripen. Persimmons can be eaten raw, and when they are ripe they are perfect for a persimmon honey ginger tart filled with custard!
Puff pastry is a quick and easy way to make delicate and crunchy tarts. You can find them in the freezer aisle of the grocery store. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie cutter, create a 4-inch bottom layer, then poke several holes into the dough to prevent the dough from rising too much as it bakes.
Puff Pastry Tart Shells
For the top layer, cut a 4 inch round, then using a 3″ round, cut a hole out of the center of the 4″ round. Transfer the cutout shells to your baking sheets. Brush the puff pastry with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water). Bake the puff pastry shells until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
The bottom of the tart shell rises as it bakes, so pressing the center gently with a fork makes more room for the custard filling and fruit topping.
Custard Filling aka Pastry Cream
Custard cream is my absolute favorite filling for any cake or pastry! To make the custard filling for the tarts, heat milk in a medium saucepan with vanilla bean. When the milk reaches 90°F (32°C), stir in 3 ounces (120g) of sugar.
Allow the milk to come to a simmer and then turn off the heat. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar with the cornstarch. Place the egg yolk in a separate bowl and add the cornstarch and sugar mixture. Whisk thoroughly to combine, leaving no residual cornstarch.
In the bowl containing the egg mixture, temper the egg yolk mixture with the hot milk.
Return the egg mixture to the pan and cook, whisking vigorously until the cream boils and is well thickened. Turn off the heat and then whisk in the butter.
The custard should not have residual starchy flavor, so make sure to taste the custard during the cooking and thickening to ensure the starch is fully cooked. The custard should be creamy, thick, sweet and aromatic from the vanilla beans.
Remove the filling from the heat and chill over an ice bath. Once cooled, transfer the custard to a bowl or pastry bag, cover and keep refrigerated until ready to use. When cooled, fill each tart shell with a generous amount of custard filling.
The Persimmon
Persimmons are ready to eat when the outside shell is slightly soft when you press the skin. Fuyu persimmons can be eaten raw so that you can enjoy the fruit either crunchy or soft. However, the more time the persimmon has to ripen the sweeter and more honey-like flavor.
To prepare the persimmon slices, cut the fruit into quarters, then remove the skin from the fruit. Thinly slice the persimmons to about ⅛ to ¼ inch wedges.
Arrange the persimmon slices into a cylindrical fan on top of the custard filling.
Honey Ginger Glaze
In a small saucepan, steep ginger in the water and honey mixture over medium-low heat, until the mixture reduces by half (⅛ cup). The glaze should be slightly thinner than the honey so that it can be easily brushed on top of the persimmons, yet sticks to the fruit. Generously coat the persimmon slices with the warmed honey ginger glaze.
The honey and ginger glaze enhances the natural sweet characteristics of the persimmon, and the custard cream filling provides a nice contrast in texture to the delicate, flaky and crunchy puff pastry tart shell.
The persimmon honey ginger tart is a straightforward and elegant dessert for the winter season!
If you like working with Puff Pastry and are looking for something else sweet & delicious, check out my French Palmier Cookie Recipe. Otherwise, if you only enjoy the persimmon fruit, see my Permission Cookie Recipe.
Working with Puff pastry
Puff Pastry is essentially layers of dough and butter, which has been rolled and folded several times to create multiple layers, this labor-intensive process is called “lamination.” The result is a beautiful flaky pastry with hundreds of delicate and beautiful layers. When cutting the puff pastry into shapes, make sure not to crimp or smash the puff pastry dough with your cutters or knife. This will prevent the layers of butter and dough from rising and separating during baking. For example, if using a round biscuit cutter, press the cutter straight down, then lift up; if you press down and turn the cutter, the layers will be destroyed.
Persimmon Tart
Ingredients
Tart Shell
- 2 persimmons
- 1 package puff pastry sheets, Pepperidge Farms
- 1 egg, egg wash for brushing (1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water)
Custard Filling
- 4 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- 8 ounces granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 9 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
Glaze
- 1 slice ginger, ¼-inch thick
- ⅛ cup honey
- ⅛ cup water
Instructions
Tart Shell
- Place the oven rack in the center position and preheat to 400°F (204°C).
- Unfold the puff pastry sheet on a work surface covered with parchment paper. It's best to cut the tart shells out when the pastry is semi-frozen. So it's easier to unroll, cut and layer onto your baking sheet.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie cutter, create a 4-inch bottom layer, then poke several holes into the dough to prevent the dough from rising too much as it bakes. Brush with a thin coating of egg wash.
- For the top layer, cut a 4-inch round, then using a 3-inch round, cut a hole out of the center of the 4-inch round. Place on top of the base. Transfer the cut out shells to the baking sheet.
- Brush the puff pastry top with egg wash. Bake the puff pastry shells until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Custard Filling
- Heat milk and vanilla bean over medium heat in a medium saucepan. When the milk reaches 90°F (32°C), stir in 3 ounces of sugar. Allow the milk to come to a simmer, with small bubbles forming on the edges, and then turn off the heat.
- Scrape the inside of the vanilla bean with a knife and put the seeds into the milk, whisk to combine.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar with the cornstarch.
- Place the egg yolk in a separate bowl and add the cornstarch and sugar mixture. Whisk thoroughly to combine, leaving no residual cornstarch.
- In the bowl containing the egg mixture, gradually whisk in the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs.
- Return the egg and milk mixture to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking vigorously until the cream boils and is well thickened. The custard should not have a residual starch flavor. Turn off the heat and whisk the butter into the custard.
- Transfer filling to a bowl and chill over an ice bath. Once cooled, cover and keep refrigerated until ready to use. If the custard solidifies after cooling, place the custard in a mixing bowl, then using the whip attachment, beat the mixture until smooth.
Honey Ginger Glaze
- In a small saucepan, steep ginger in the water and honey mixture over medium-low heat, until the mixture reduces by half (⅛ cup). The glaze should be slightly thinner than the honey so that it can be easily brushed on top of the persimmons, yet sticks the fruit.
Assembly
- Fill each tart shell with a generous amount of custard filling.
- To prepare the persimmon slices, cut the fruit into quarters, then remove the skin from the fruit. Thinly slice the persimmons to about ⅛ to ¼-inch wedges.
- Arrange the persimmons slices into a cylindrical fan on top of the custard filling. Generously glaze the slices.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Summer B says
Just made this evening, this was absolutely delicious! So versatile, excited to try with other random fruits.
My only question – did anyone else feel like they made wayyy too much custard? I followed the instructions precisely but I feel I only needed like a fifth of the custard made lol. Not complaining since it’s super tasty, but now I’m going to have to make custard pops or something to prevent it from going to waste. Did I somehow read wrong?
Jessica Gavin says
So happy to hear that you enjoyed the persimmon tart recipe! Yes, it does make a generous amount of custard. You can always reduce the amount if you want less leftover. I love custard though! Haha.
Rosemary Lackow says
I have not yet tried but just got some persimmons (first time cooking with them), eager to make this as a gift, but have 2 questions:
-step 8 – heating the egg and mil mixture: maybe you can’t describe, but what would a residual starch flavor (to be avoided) taste like?
– step 9- where you add butter: what state is the butter to be in? (e.g. softened, cold, melted? )
Jessica Gavin says
When the starch is raw it sort of has a lingering astringent and drying taste in your mouth. You can add cold or softened butter. Great questions!
Wan says
Okay, I made the pastry cream this morning and I had some confusion following the directions.
*is erect supposed to be Cream in the ingredients or are you just referring to the thus combined pastry cream?
*when am I supposed to add the butter?
Because it came out super thick.
Tastes good though.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Wan- I appreciate your feedback! I have updated the recipe to make the instructions more clear. There is no cream, and you add the butter at the very end.
Jessica Millund says
I used this recipe for the jam. Also, I forgot to mention that there were a couple inconsistencies in the recipe above. In the ingredients it calls for butter but the instructions do not ask you to add butter. Also in the instructions it calls to add cream but there is no cream in the ingredients. I did not add additional cream or butter and it was fine.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Jessica- Thanks for the link for the jam! I have updated the recipe to make the instructions more clear. There is no cream, and you add the butter at the very end. I hope that clarifies things, sorry for the confusion!
Jessica Millund says
We made these for Thanksgiving and they were delicious! I changed one thing, I made a persimmon jam and put it under the custard and it made the flavor really pop!
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, the persimmon Jam sounds amazing! How did you make it? Thank you for making the recipe!
Marcia says
I do not understand the directions for the glaze. It begins with 1/8 each cup each honey and water and is then reduced by half, so basically the water part is cooked off and you’re left with the honey (only of course it is now infused with the ginger flavor). So how can the final glaze be “slightly thinner than the honey” when the honey is all that’s left with no water to thin it down?
Jessica Gavin says
Great question Marcia! The main purpose of adding water is to dilute the honey a bit so that the ginger can steep, so the honey doesn’t burn, and is easier to brush on top of the persimmons. The honey solids will be the same, however when heated in water and concentrated, it’s a little bit thinner and easier to apply since it’s warm. I hope this helps!
JC Marc says
I just found your site and I love your creations. This tart looks delicious and I am going to make it this weekend – even if I can’t find persimmons. I can’t wait until you are able to receive email subscriptions. Until then, I will be checking back periodically. Thank you so much for sharing!
Jessica Gavin says
Hi JC! thank you so much for checking out my website and for the sweet complement. Im really glad you mentioned the email subscriptions all this time I thought it was turned on but it wasn’t. If you wish to be notified of my next creation now you can add your email address to the top right of this page (just under my welcome message).
I hope your tart turns out delicious! 🙂
Stacy says
These are so beautiful and elegant, Jessica! I can see making these all year round with whatever delicious fruit is in season.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you Stacy! The tart shell and custard is so versatile, you can definitely add your favorite fruits through out the year!