Persimmon Apple Strudel

Recently a neighbor of mine kindly brought over a bag of home-grown Fuyu persimmons.  I love their unique flavor and bold color.  Like the pomegranate, the persimmon comes in season in late fall.  Generally I like to eat them like an apple when they are soft to the touch, skin and all.

With a dinner party tonight which I have been assigned dessert, I had the idea to bring a persimmon dish.  I adapted a fabulous and easy apple strudel recipe that uses puff pastry.  Here’s the result!

I’d wanted to photograph the inside of this amazing strudel after I cut into it but the hustle and bustle of the party distracted me.  It was a huge hit!  It looks like fall when you cut into it with the red cranberries, orange persimmons, apples and walnuts.  The persimmon flavor really holds up, unlike some sweet bread and cookie recipes I’ve tasted.

Makes: 8 servings

• 1 egg
• 1 tbs water
• 1 tbs flour
• 2 tbs granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 of a 17.3 ounce package Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheet (1 sheet), thawed
• 2 medium ripe 1/2 in. cubed Fuyu persimmons, peeled
• 1 large apple, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/3 C cranberries or raisins
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 C chopped walnuts
• confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Heat the oven to 375°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork. Stir the flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the persimmon, apple, cranberries, lemon zest and walnuts  and toss to coat.

Sprinkle additional flour on the work surface.  Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle. With the short side facing you, spoon the apple mixture onto the bottom half of the pastry sheet to within 1 inch of the edge.  Roll up like a jelly roll.  Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet.  Tuck the ends under to seal.  Brush the pastry with the egg mixture. Cut several slits in the top of the pastry.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let the pastry cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

For best results, make sure to toss the persimmons, apples, cranberries and walnuts until they’re evenly coated with the flour mixture. The flour helps to thicken the juices released by the apples as they cook.

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