Persimmon Cheesecake

Life always tastes better with an enticing cheesecake during the holiday season. No feast can be complete without a dessert. Who cannot make room for this delicious cheesecake after a good meal? After all, cheesecakes don't go to the stomach but straight to the heart😃. Smooth, sweet, and creamy cheesecake made with warm holiday spices, fresh persimmons, and the orange zest is sure to knock your socks off. 

Have you tried persimmons in any of your desserts? Persimmon is mild, "honey-like" to taste, similar to apricot, but the skin is tougher than apple. I like to enjoy the fruit with the skin on, but I peeled it for this recipe in order to puree and decorate this cheesecake. 

Take advantage of this seasonal fruit, October through February, which is also ideal for the festive season. The addition of orange zest gives a refreshing, zingy flavor and a tantalizing fragrance we all love.

I preferred a no-bake cheesecake for a very long time, with a lot of trial and error downstream, I learnt to bake a perfect cheesecake. Grabbed my baking pan to try this Persimmon Cheesecake (baked version) for our Thanksgiving spread. I made two versions with and without the almond crust.

Baking a cheesecake can be intimidating for newbie home bakers. Read the notes and tips completely without fail to bake with ease. Make your celebrations special with this persimmon cheesecake to enjoy with your loved ones.

PREP TIME

30 mins

baKe TIME

 85-95 mins

Chill TIME

4 - 6 hrs

Category: Dessert, Cheesecake

Cuisine: American
Level: Medium

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

Almond Crust:(optional)

1. Almond flour - 2 cups

2. Butter (melted) or oil - 2 tsp

3. Pure vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

4. Stevia extract - just a dash or any sweetener

Persimmon pulp:

1. Sugar (fine granulated, unbleached) - 1 cup

2. Persimmons (fresh) -2 nos  

3. Water - 1/4 cup(approximately)

4. Cinnamon and nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp

5. Orange Zest - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Persimmon Cheesecake:(use cold ingredients)

1. Cream cheese (8 oz)- 1 1/2 packs

2. Heavy cream - 1 tablespoon (to whip the cream cheese)

3. Whole eggs - 4 (large)

4. All-purpose flour - 2 tablespoons

5. Pure vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

Decorations:(optional)

1. Whipped cream - 3/4 cup approximately

2. Persimmon - 1 (peeled and sliced)

3. Edible flowers - daisy, rosemary flowers

Nutrition Facts
Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 368
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 23 g	35 %
Saturated Fat 11 g	55 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 143 mg	48 %
Sodium 201 mg	8 %
Potassium 128 mg	4 %
Total Carbohydrate 36 g	12 %
Dietary Fiber 2 g	9 %
Sugars 30 g
Protein 8 g	16 %
Vitamin A	34 %
Vitamin C	5 %
Calcium	6 %
Iron	7 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

DIRECTIONS

 Preheat oven to 325°F to bake the crust. You can gladly skip the crust making as well.

 Pan Prep:

Grease your 9-inch springform pan lightly with oil and line it with parchment paper. This greasing step holds the liner in place. If you're using a regular pan, I would suggest you line your pan with heavy-duty foil to lift off easily once done.

Almond Crust:

Mix almond flour, butter/oil, stevia extract, and vanilla extract. The right consistency is to check if you can make a ball out of it. 

Now layer the almond crust mix and press firmly down to set aside using any flat-bottomed cup (like a measuring cup) or drinking glass, ensuring an even flat crust.

Place the pan in the middle rack in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. 

Persimmon pulp

Cook the peeled and roughly chopped persimmons with water and sugar until soft.

Now add the spices and give it a good stir and remove from the heat, and cool. 

Blend into a smooth paste and set aside.

Persimmon Cheesecake:

Remember to use your ingredients cold. Cream cheese can be tricky to whip up when cold, so I would keep it at room temperature and whip it with 1 tbsp of heavy cream. Whip it ahead of time, and back it goes to the refrigerator to stay cool until ready to use.

 

Using a paddle attachment, whip up the cream cheese, the persimmon pulp, and all-purpose flour. Once creamy enough without any lumps, change the paddle attachment to the whisk attachment. 

Add the eggs one at a time at low speed, making sure they're well incorporated before you add the next. Pour in the vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Do not beat longer than required. A lump-free, smooth, and creamy mixture is all it requires. Pour the mixture over the cooled pre-baked crust.

Bake your cheesecake at a high temperature, about 400°F, for 10 minutes, and immediately lower the temperature to 250°F and bake for an additional 75-85 minutes, approximately, to prevent overbaking. This method works like a gem. If you're comfortable with the water bath method, feel free to go for it. I personally felt it took longer.

Remove the cheesecake as per the required time the recipe calls for. Just keep an eye on your cheesecake to look for any cracks or burns, as each oven works differently depending on your oven settings. The perfect cheesecake should have firm sides but still jiggle in the center as it tends to set as it cools down.

Decorations:(optional)

Fresh whipped cream piped with a star nozzle to place the persimmon slices like flowers. Add some edible garden-grown flowers and leaves for a punch of colors.

NOTES AND TIPS   

To achieve a perfect cheesecake, I follow these basic tips I learnt through trial and error: 

1. Always keep your ingredients and tools cold, including your whisk, paddle (attachments), and the mixing bowl. 

2. Grease your baking pan well on the bottom and sides to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Lining your pan with parchment works well. I sometimes like to use a heavy-duty foil to lift off the pan when I don't use a springform pan. 

3. Don't skip the step to pre-bake your crust for 10 minutes at 325°F to retain a crispy crust. Even if you choose to go with no-bake cheesecake, make sure you bake the crust to enhance the crust's texture.

4. Place your baking pan in the middle rack if using a conventional oven. Place a sheet of aluminium foil gently and carefully on top of your pan to protect the top layer if you see slight burns or cracks amid baking. Remember not to completely seal the pan with foil.

6. Resist the urge to open your oven often or too soon to check for the consistency. The center will tend to sink, and the baking time will lengthen.  Overbaked cheesecake is dry and crumbly.

7. The water bath method is used mainly for even baking. You can prevent it by using a bake-even silicon strip, or even foil works well. The moisture in the pan keeps the cheesecake moist as well, but the setting time is longer. There is a risk of water seeping into the pan as well when using a springform pan. If that's the case, lining the pan with foil seems to work well. 

8. Refrigerate your cheesecake once it comes to room temperature to set well before you remove the cheesecake from your baking pan. 

9. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer for a smoother texture than a hand whisk. Avoid food processor or blender, which prevents it from setting.

10. Cheesecake mixture must be blended well, but don't overdo it else it will not set.

11. If your cheesecake doesn't set well, add a couple of eggs and some all-purpose flour to bake again on a low setting. It's just a quick fix rather than wasting the mixture.