Introduction: Persimmon Cheesecake

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About: I become interested in DIY when I had the opportunity as a teenager to build a racing bicycle from scratch. That was such a fun experience! Since then, I've built alot of fun stuff and now I get to create t…

It's Thanksgiving time!

It's also Persimmon tree ripening time.  

Who is ready for a delicious graham cracker crusted vanilla ice cream topped persimmon cheesecake?  

Ingredients:

1 box of graham crackers - some for munching and 2 cups for the crust
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups pureed persimmons
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
6 eggs

1 1/4 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Step 1: Choose Your Fruit Wisely

Time to talk Persimmon basics. There are 2 types Hachiya and Fuyu.  The Fuyu's are rounder and somewhat smaller than Hachiya's.  Also, you can eat Fuyu's directly from the tree.  The Hachiya's are stringent and need to be cooked in order to be eaten.  

When Picking Hachiya's off the tree, you also need to choose the right ones.  You want to look for ones that are soft, almost mushy like.  

Class is over it's time to get to work.  

Step 2: Step 1 - Making the Crust

The first thing that needs to happen is making the crust.  back in my non-vegetarian days, I used to love pounding chicken cutlets to make Chicken Parm just like grandma used to.....Today, I had the chance to break up the graham crackers into little bits....This part was so easy to do that I will never again buy a store-bought crust.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
break-up the graham crackers until fine. Mix together in a bowl with the brown sugar and melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.   i actually am making four mini pies to share at different times with different people...
Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Step 3: Step 2 - Making the Batter

this all happens in the food processor...Check out this batter.


Combine the persimmons, cream cheese, 1 1/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup sour cream, cinnamon, and ginger in a food processor.   Feel free to add some of your other favorite spices.

Blend in processor until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape edges of food processor bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, and process until fully incorporated. Pour the mixture over the cooled crust.

Bake in the preheated oven until mostly set with the center being slightly jiggly, 60 to 75 minutes.  You can up the temperature to 300 to cut down on the baking time.  

They  should come out of the oven nice and fluffy...

Step 4: Step 3 - Topping & Eat

Here's where you can really take this recipe and add your own personal pizazz.  You can add whatever toppings you like.  Making a hot chocolate sauce, maybe a warm cherry compote with vanilla.  The list goes on,  My mother-in-law happened to have some breyer's vanilla Ice cream in her freezer and that's what I used. 

Also, I have a recipe below that will make a delicious topping

While the cheesecake is baking, whisk together the 1 1/4 sour cream, 3 tablespoon white sugar, and vanilla extract. Spread evenly over the cheesecake while still hot and return to oven another 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 4 to 8 hours or overnight before serving.