The perfect winter season delight is the persimmon tart. Both a straightforward and elegant dessert, the honey glaze magnifies the natural sweet attributes of the persimmon, and the frangipane filling adds a nice contrast in texture to the almond tart dough. 

Persimmons are an enjoyable treat during the colder months. The Fuyu Japanese persimmons used in this recipe resemble little pumpkin-shaped orange tomatoes. Their flavour is very sweet and slightly tangy with a crunchy to soft texture, depending on how ripe the fruit is. They can be eaten raw, and are ideal to use in this honey, almond persimmon tart recipe when perfectly ripened. 

The first step is a crunchy, buttery tart dough made with ground almonds. The tart is then filled with frangipane, a soft and fluffy almond cream. The frangipane is semi-baked, then layered with paper-thin persimmon slices, brushed with a honey glaze, and finally, sprinkled with cinnamon. The tart is baked a second time, in order to fully cook the almond layer and to soften the persimmons.

The Persimmon

Persimmons are ready to eat once the outside is soft when pressing on the skin. Fuyu persimmons can be eaten raw, so they can be enjoyed either when crunchy or soft. The more the persimmon ripens, the sweeter it becomes.

Prepare the persimmon slices by cutting the fruit into quarters and then removing the skin. Thinly slice the persimmons to ⅛ or ¼ inch in thickness. 

Arrange the persimmon slices into a cylindrical fan on the surface of the tart. 

Honey Glaze

In a small saucepan, combine water and honey and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture reduces by half (⅛ cup). The glaze needs to be somewhat thinner than the original honey texture in order for it to be easily brushed over the persimmons. Generously coat the persimmon slices with the warmed honey glaze.

The honey glaze will intensify the natural sweet attributes of the persimmon and the frangipane filling creates a nice contrast in texture to the crunchy, buttery tart dough.

The crust, fluffy almond filling, sweet and soft fruit, with a touch of honey makes the perfect balance. Add an extra layer of sweetness and spice with a scattering of pomegranate arils and cinnamon on the surface of the tart.

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Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Serving: 5 people

What you will need:

• Thinkkitchen Whiz Plus 3-in-1 Blender
• Remy Olivier Diamond Quiche Mould
• Small saucepan
• Mixing bowls

Ingredients:

Tart Dough

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup finely ground almonds
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 5 oz cold unsalted butter
• 1 egg yolk

Filling

• 2 ½ oz unsalted butter
• ⅔ cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• ⅔ cup finely ground almonds
• 1 tbsp flour
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ tsp almond extract
• 10 Fuyu persimmons
• Pomegranate arils (Optional)
• Cinnamon (Optional)

Glaze

• ⅛ cup honey
• ⅛ cup water

Instructions:

Tart Dough

1 – Combine in the thinkkitchen Whiz Plus 3-in-1 Blender the finely ground almonds, flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse until all is well blended. Add the cold butter, cubed, and pulse until it is in small pea-sized pieces. Mix in the egg yolk and pulse in long 5-second bursts until the dough begins to stick together.

2 – Remove the dough from the Whiz Plus blender and knead it gently to incorporate any extra flour. Spray the Remy Olivier Diamond Quiche Mould with nonstick cooking spray.

3 – Press the tart dough in an even layer into the bottom and sides of the mould. Freeze the mould for 30 minutes.

4 – Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray the top of the tart dough with nonstick cooking spray, then press a sheet of foil, shiny side down, to the mould and fill it with dry beans, rice, or pie weights.

5 – Bake the mould for 15 minutes, until the sides start to take on a little colour and the centre appears no longer to be raw. Carefully remove the foil and weights. Allow it to cook before adding the filling.

Assembling the Tart

1 – Combine the butter and powdered sugar in the Whiz Plus blender. Blend until smooth. Mix in the egg, almonds, flour, salt, and almond extract. Blend together in long pulses until well combined. 

2 – Scoop the almond mixture into the bottom of the par-baked tart mould, and spread it into an even layer. Bake the tart at 375°F for 12-15 minutes, just as it begins to set.

3 – Slice off the tops of the persimmons to approximately ⅛ to ¼ inch wedges. Arrange the slices into a cylindrical fan on top of the frangipane. Press down on them gently to imbed them into the almond layer.

4 – Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and bake the tart for a final 10-15 minutes, until the almond filling is puffed and set, and the persimmon slices have softened. Brush the top of the tart with the honey glaze, sprinkle some cinnamon, and a few pomegranate arils.

Honey Glaze:

1 – In a small saucepan, add water and honey, and cook on medium-low heat, until the mixture reduces by half (⅛ cup). The glaze should be somewhat thinner than the original honey texture to easily brush it over the top of the tart.

Enjoy!

For your tart crust:

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons pine nuts or blanched almonds

1/4 cup finely grated Reggiano Parmesan

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter – cold, cut in 1″ pieces

3 tablespoons milk – cold

For your caprese salad:

3 to 4 medium ripe tomatoes – sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese – sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves

Flaky sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic glaze

Preparation:

Let’s begin by making our tart shell for the salad. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F/170 degrees Celsius

Place the flour, nuts, Parmesan and salt in a food processor. Process at high speed for 30 seconds until you see that the nuts are nice and finely chopped. Add in your cold butter, making sure they don’t touch each other, and pulse until the mixture looks crumbly. Slowly pour in the cold milk evenly over the flour mixture and pulse until the dough comes together. Once the dough is ready, form a  ball and flatten with the palm of your hand to form a 1 1/2″ thick circle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes until cold, but still able to be worked with.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it and set it on a floured surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and roll it out into a 12″ circle. Carefully arrange the dough in the prepared mold and trim the excess around the rim. Place the mold in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes until firm. Line the dough with aluminum foil and press carefully but firmly against the sides. Place the mold on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until pale yellow at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the foil. Now it’s time to assemble your caprese salad in your parmesan tart shell.

Inside the tart, arrange your tomatoes, mozzarella and basil in an alternating pattern. Season generously with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle with some olive oil and a delicious balsamic glaze. You’re ready to serve!

This tart is a unique and more savoury spin on a classic Caprese salad by giving it some more heft and complexity. It looks gorgeous on any table! If you make this recipe and want to share it with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.