good things - Liz Posmyk
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • My book
  • Writing & Media
  • FAQs

Sweet persimmon jam with a hint of lime

22/5/2016

26 Comments

 
Persimmon jam with a hint of lime by Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Vivid displays of burnt orange lantern-shaped fruits caught my eye as I walked around our local farmer's market at the weekend. I am referring to sweet persimmons, which are in bountiful supply throughout autumn months. 

With their unique texture and mild flavour, persimmons are the perfect addition to autumn dishes, such as puddings and salads. They can also be baked into cakes and muffins; or sliced with a cheese plate, and enjoyed fresh from the hand.

Sweet persimmons are the most commonly found variety and account for nearly 95% of Australian production. They are round in shape, with a diameter of about 10cm. The fruit has a slightly flattened top with a green stem (calyx), and ranges in colour from pale orange to a deep red-orange. This non-astringent variety is best eaten crunchy and firm like an apple, but can be left until it is soft and mushy, like the original (astringent) persimmon.

Original (astringent) persimmons are large, heart shaped fruits, also ranging in colour from pale orange to deep red-orange. This variety must be harvested once it is fully mature. The fruit is ready for eating only when the flesh is soft, jelly-like and sweet. If you can taste any astringency, allow the persimmon to ripen further. Put the persimmon in a paper bag with a couple of bananas to speed up the ripening process. 

​Persimmons make a wonderful edition to an overall healthy diet and are a good source of vitamin C and beta carotene, high in fibre and fat free. I have it on good authority that sweet persimmons contain twice the dietary fibre of an apple, as well as higher levels of minerals and antioxidants.

Australian persimmons
Persimmons: the original astringent (left) and the sweet non astringent (right) - image courtesy Persimmons Australia

In her tome, The Cook's Companion (Penguin), Stephanie Alexander offers a sumptuous description of the fruit:
'Cradling a ripe persimmon is like holding a fine purse that feels heavy and liquid in the hand. The fruit is translucent, glowing red-gold and has a delicate but haunting flavour.'

​That fine, exquisite flavour was the inspiration for my sweet persimmon jam with just a hint of lime. I was also enticed by Helene's fuyu and hachiya lemon jam. For my recipe, the sweet persimmons should be over-ripe, almost jelly-like. ​​

The recipe...

SWEET PERSIMMON JAM WITH A HINT OF LIME
1.25 kg (about 10 large) sweet persimmons (non astringent)
500 g jam setting sugar*
a large lime
a teaspoon of butter

You will also need:
a heavy-based 6 litre pot
a heat diffuser (optional)
a saucer or two, or perhaps 2 soup spoons (use to test jam for setting)
3 x 350 ml (12 oz) clean jam jars and lids
a pouring ladle
a wide-necked jam funnel
heat-proof gloves or oven mitt

Place the two saucers or the soup spoons into the freezer. 

Sterilise your jars and lids by putting them onto a tray in a cold oven. Bring the temperature to 120 degrees C. The jars need to be in the oven for at least 30 minutes.

Peel the persimmons. Discard the leaves and any seeds. Place the persimmon pulp into a deep bowl, and mash it using a potato masher.

Wash the lime and peel wide strips from the skin with a potato peeler. Cut the lime in half, juice it and set the juice and strips of the lime zest aside.

If you have a heat diffuser or SimmerMat, place it onto a hotplate. This will help to stop the jam from catching in the bottom of the pan, and also from spitting as it cooks. Set the temperature of the hotplate to low-medium. 

Pour the sugar into the base of a deep saucepan (I use my vintage Rena-ware soup pot) and gently warm the crystals. Add the prepared persimmon pulp, together with the strips of lime zest and the juice. Stir with a wooden spoon.

Increase the heat slightly, and bring to a simmer, stirring to ensure that the fruit does not stick to the bottom of the pan. 

Now add the butter and turn up the heat again. Bring the jam to a rolling boil and let it cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the stove top and check to test if the jam will set on the icy cold saucer or soup spoon.

If the jam has still not reached setting point, pop the pan back onto the stove briefly, allowing it boil again. Test the jam again. It has set when it is no longer runny on the plate or spoon. A skin may also form on the jam.

Remove and discard the strips of lime. Cool the jam for five minutes and ladle it into the sterilised jars. Seal the jars immediately. Turn the jar upside down briefly, and then back on its base. Once cool, store the jars in a dark corner of your larder, and transfer them to the refrigerator once they have been opened. Makes 3 x 350ml jars.

​Cooking and preparation time: about one hour.

* Jam setting sugar is a blend of sugar, apple pectin and citric acid. Use white sugar if you cannot source the jam setting sugar.
Print Friendly and PDF

Thank you kindly to the folks at Persimmons Australia, who sent me a massive box of persimmons. 

Your turn, dear readers. Do you enjoy persimmons? And have you ever used them in your cooking?
26 Comments
Tandy I Lavender and Lime link
22/5/2016 01:29:39 am

I love that this jam does not have too much sugar in it. And Lime of course 😀

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:23:17 am

Me too, Tandy x

Reply
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
22/5/2016 02:03:47 am

I love the soft, original kind of persimmon. I didn't realise that they were so much less common though. They're so beautiful when they become soft-all bright orange and glistening!

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:23:37 am

Aren't they ever. A delightful fruit.

Reply
Simone Mason
22/5/2016 02:30:26 am

Oh wow, Liz. The colour. It's just beautiful.

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:23:54 am

My pleasure, Simone.

Reply
Bethany Price
22/5/2016 02:32:18 am

I saw your post on instagram and was looking forward to this. Thank you for the recipe.

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:24:15 am

My pleasure, Bethany, thanks for stopping by.

Reply
David link
22/5/2016 10:07:51 am

Liz - I have always wanted to make something with persimmons, other than cookies or muffins. This recipe is perfect - I can't wait till it is persimmon season here again! Thanks for the tutorial on the astringency of this fruit. That helps!

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:24:32 am

David, my pleasure. x

Reply
Francesca link
22/5/2016 04:35:04 pm

I love seeing them on trees, like giant Christmas baubles. Lovely jam.

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:24:52 am

Hi Francesca, aren't they beautiful.

Reply
Liz link
22/5/2016 05:03:49 pm

I've pinned this for persimmon season, sounds lovely!

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:25:08 am

Liz, thank you kindly.

Reply
Amanda link
22/5/2016 07:14:16 pm

I was deeply scarred by an under-ripe persimmon in my youth and am very wary of them now, but am quite tempted by this lovely recipe.

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:25:28 am

Ah yes, that happened to me once too. x

Reply
Robbie James
23/5/2016 02:41:15 am

We have a persimmon tree. My wife will be pleased to see this recipe.

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:25:50 am

Oh, lucky you, Robbie, thanks for stopping by.

Reply
Fiona Ryan
23/5/2016 07:50:25 am

I enjoy persimmons. They are an incredibly underused and underrated fruit in Australia.

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:26:07 am

Aren't they ever, Fiona.

Reply
John/KitchenRIffs link
23/5/2016 10:10:23 am

Don't think I've ever had persimmon jam. Love the idea -- in my (very limited) experience with persimmons, they're a somewhat difficult fruit to tame. Jam would be perfect. Thanks!

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:26:31 am

John, you simply must try them again.

Reply
Eva Taylor link
24/5/2016 05:44:52 pm

It's such a beautiful colour Liz, I'm certain I would love it.

Reply
Lizzy
27/5/2016 12:26:44 am

Eva, thanks so much x

Reply
Sherry m link
27/5/2016 02:31:42 am

They are such a pretty shape and colour. Our puppy used to drag them into the house and slather them all over the carpet! She thought they were delicious.

Reply
Nina
3/6/2021 04:39:40 am

Delicious recipe! The lime and persimmon combination is wonderful.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Welcome...

    Üdvözölöm
    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

    ​Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion.
    ​
    Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes; postcards and morsels from my travels; conversations with cookery writers
    and chefs; and news on food, cookbooks
    ​and cooking.
    ​
    - Liz Posmyk

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


    All
    Anzac
    Apple Growers
    Australia
    Australian Producers
    Autumn
    Baking
    Beverages
    Biscuits
    Book Reviews
    Bread
    Breakfast
    Butter
    Cakes & Slices
    Canberra
    Charmaine Solomon
    Cheese
    Chestnuts
    Christmas
    Cocktails
    Coffee
    Conversations
    Cookies
    Cookware
    Cuisine Companion
    Curries
    Dairy Products
    Desserts
    Diet
    Dough
    Drink Blog
    Easter
    Edible Gifts
    Eggs
    Egg Safety
    Essays
    Events
    Favourite Flavours
    Fish
    Food News
    Food TV
    Food Verse
    Fruit
    Giveaways
    Good Things Favourites
    Growers & Producers
    Guest Post
    Health
    Hummus
    Hungarian Recipe
    Ice Cream
    In My Kitchen
    Kids In The Kitchen
    Kitchen Garden
    Markets
    Meat
    Muffins
    Musings
    My Book
    My Family
    New Year
    Noodles
    Nuts
    Observations
    Olives
    Pancakes
    Pasta
    Pastry
    Pepe Saya
    Pink Martini
    Pizza
    Polenta
    Postcards And Morsels
    Poultry
    Preserves
    Prize Giveaways
    Prunes
    Reminiscences
    Retro
    Reviews
    Rice
    Ricotta
    Salad
    Salads
    Sandwiches
    Sauce
    Seafood
    Slow Cooking
    Snacks
    Soups
    Stop Hunger Start Cooking
    Sydney
    Tefal
    Thanksgiving
    Thank You
    The Barber From Budapest
    Tofu
    Travel
    Truffles
    Tweatup510064f8ec
    Tzatziki
    Valentines Day
    Vegetables
    Vinnies Christmas Appeal


    NB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes. 

    Picture
    Winner ABC's 2015 Australia Cooks competition, ACT (mains category)
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Meet the Chefs - recipes featured on Australian Asparagus Council website

Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2020.   All rights reserved.
Excerpts may be used provided that full and clear credit is given. Thank you.


Photos from alantankenghoe, riptheskull, David Jackmanson, Amani Hasan, SuntanMidori, oropeza, Annie Mole, Vegan Feast Catering, avlxyz, jeffreyw, mockstar, jenly, Syeefa Jay, pizzodisevo (therapy - terapia - Therapie), ginnerobot, cliff1066™, Jim, the Photographer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • My book
  • Writing & Media
  • FAQs