Ode to Persimmon: Fresh persimmon tart II nutmeg custard II dark chocolate almond crust [gf]

As much as we associate all things fall with pumpkin--pumpkin patch, #PSL, pumpkin bread,  Jack-O'-lanterns--there's another orange orb that deserves some love and recognition: the persimmon. A vivid orange hue when ripe, persimmon has an equally vibrant flavor. If you're new to the realm of persimmon, the first thing to know is that there are two common types of persimmon, Fuyu and Hachiya, shown below.

Fuyu are shaped like hockey pucks, while Hachyia are more pyramidal. Despite a deceivingly similar outer appearance, it's what's on the inside that counts. Fuyu is considered ripe when it is firm with a slight give. Skin the fruit and you'll find a nice crisp texture similar to an apple, with a mellow, lightly-spiced, honeyed sweetness. If you prefer softer fruit, that's fine as well--they'll soften and become more jelly-like with time. At this point, they're the most similar to their Hachiya counterpart. To properly enjoy the Hachiya, you'll need to hone your patience--as the saying goes 'good things comes to those who wait'. These fruits should *only* be eaten when they're soft to the point of bursting at the slightest pressure. Any less and you'll likely be overwhelmed by the tannins, which generate that unpleasant tongue-coating sensation you get from eating unripe banana or pineapple. If you really fancy yourself a glass of tannic wine, then maybe this is your cup of tea, but otherwise I'd advise erring on the side of caution and exercising those patience muscles. Delayed gratification is key. Ripe Hachiya is nature's closest version of custard in fruit form, a bright, spiced embodiment of autumn. Unlike pumpkin, which needs some doctoring with pumpkin pie spice to elicit appropriate fall vibes, persimmon already has hints of cinnamon and nutmeg packed in. To eat, gently rinse and peel back the skin to scoop up the translucent golden-amber jelly within. Perfect-o. 

Which brings me to the recipe below.  This tart highlights the natural spice notes in the persimmon while adding a pleasant complement of textures and flavors. It's less a recipe than an outline of the assembly of three simple components: custard, crust and Fuyu persimmon, listed in order of most to least effort. For the custard, I doubled a recipe from Joy of Baking and added spices. This custard recipe is pretty forgiving, just be sure to stir constantly while cooking down the custard to prevent lumps from forming (but all is not lost if lumps do form, just strain the custard through a sieve!). As for the crust, it's no-bake and offers just the right crunch, salt and chocolate to balance the smooth sweet custard. The dark chocolate shell on the crust contrasts the custard and fruit flavors nicely with a subtle nutty bitterness. Lastly, given how flavorful in-season persimmon are, there's no need to do anything further except pare, slice and arrange them.

One last note, it's worth your while to check out the local farmers market for persimmon not only because it's some of the best around town but also because they're at a very reasonable price. Another plus, you can revert back to immediate gratification. Since the fruit can be picked the day before it's transported a relatively short distance to market, they can be harvested at peak ripeness. So much so that my selection of persimmon promptly mashed themselves into jelly as I carried them in a bag while strolling through the market. Luckily, I had an empty mason jar from breakfast to transfer them into until I finally had a chance to eat them, for lunch the same day. Instant gratification.

|| Fresh Persimmon Tart ||

Makes one 9" round tart

Ingredients:

• 5 Fuyu persimmon, some riper than others
• 2 cups nutmeg custard (recipe/link below)

For the crust~

• 1 cup toasted (350F, 15 minutes) almonds
• 1 Tb. honey
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 Tb butter
• 3.5 oz. good quality 85% dark chocolate

For the nutmeg custard~
Adapted from Joy of Baking

• 1/4-1/2 tsp. nutmeg*
• 1/8 tsp. cinammon
• 1/8 tsp. allspice 
• 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
• 2 1/2 cups milk (preferably whole)
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 4 Tb. all-purpose flour
• 4 Tb. cornstarch (I used 4 Tb. tapioca starch)

* season according to your preference. The nutmeg flavor should not be overpowering, but certainly detectable. 

Directions:

1. Make custard--heat milk with spices and vanilla bean paste in a medium saucepan until simmering, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, mix sugar and egg yolk in a heat-proof medium bowl. Add in the flour and starch and mix to from a smooth paste. 
2. Once milk is just starting to bubble/foam, remove from heat and slowly add to the yolk paste while whisking briskly to incorporate evenly. 
3. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and continue whisking continually over medium heat until mixture thickens into almost pudding-like consistency and easily coats a spatula. Pour into a bowl and use plastic wrap to cover the surface of the custard to prevent the formation of a film. Transfer to refrigerator to cool, this can be made 3-5 days in advance.
4. Next, make the crust. Dividing into two batches, pulse the almonds in a food processor until the size is that of what you'd see in a crunchy nut butter or ice cream topping. Transfer to a bowl and combine with spices, honey and butter. Mix with hands until the mixture comes together into a ball. Press into lined 9" springform pan. Try to push a little up the sides of the pan to better hold the custard. 
5. Melt the chocolate either over double broiler or in 20 second intervals in the microwave, stirring between intervals. Spread evenly over crust, leaving a 1/2" margin from the edges. Cover springform pan with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to let chocolate shell harden.
6. *almost* last step, and by far the easiest, second only to eating the tart. Pare the persimmon and cut into wedges, about 8 per persimmon. (You can also consider slicing them cross-wise to get round slices with a characteristic star-like pattern). 
7. Assemble. Once custard has cooled and chocolate shell has hardened, spread the custard over the crust, leaving at least a 1/2" margin from the edges. Arrange persimmon wedges concentrically on top, working from outward in to create a floral pattern. The more you can fit on the tart, the better, but it's perfectly acceptable to leave some aside for others to add later to their slices, or...for you to eat now, either way--no waste.
8. Serve and enjoy!