Hachiya persimmon is an astrigent variety of persimmon. Acorn in shape and orange/red in color, Hachiya persimmon is usually seedless.
Select plump fruit with glossy looking smooth unblemished skin that feels heavy for its size.
Hachiya persimmon MUST be eaten when fully ripe and very, very soft. If eaten before the very, very soft stage, the astringency will make your mouth and tongue feel like they are coated with cotton. The astringency disappears as the fruit ripens and softens.
Store at room temperature until soften. To speed up the ripening process, place Hachiya persimmon in a paper bag (some say a plastic bag, others an airtight container) with an apple or a ripe banana (this produces ethylene gas which hasten ripening). Some people place a few drops of alcholol (brandy, vodka … ) on the cap and place the persimmon in an airtight container. I just leave mine on the kitchen counter where I can see it to check daily.
Uses: Wash, remove cap and eat out of hand. Some people peel others don’t. This is messy eats, but the silky smooth sweet pulp is well worth the mess. Of course, if you want to be dainty, cut the fruit in half crosswise or lengthwise place in a bowl and use a spoon, still a bit messy, have extra napkins within easy reach.
Pureed softened Hachiya persimmon can be
∞ spooned over ice cream and topped with chopped toasted nuts
∞ used as topping for waffles, pancakes or French toast
∞ stirred into yogurt
∞ combined with other fruits in smoothies (or by itself)
∞ used in baking – cookies, cake, puddidng …..
Pureed Hachiya persimmons freeze well. I also freeze them whole, see 2 recipes below.
Hachiya Persimmon Fan with Blueberries and Ice Cream
From “Wokking Your Way to Low Fat Cooking“ by Norma Chang
Ingredients
2 frozen Hachiya persimmons (to freeze see Hachiya Persimmon Sorbet recipe below)
½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
4 scoops vanilla ice cream or frozen vanilla yogurt
4 sprigs fresh mint for garnish
Preparations
1. Remove and discard persimmon caps (you may need to thaw the frozen persimmons in the fridge for an hour or so). Peel. Cut in halves lengthwise. Cut each half into 4 or 5 lengthwise wedges. Fan out wedges on a dessert plate. Repeat with the other halves.
2. Place 1 scoop of ice cream at the base of each persimmon fan. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of blueberries, garnish with a sprig of mint. (Cleaned out my mint so garnished with a sprig of thyme from the garden instead.)
Serves 4
Hachiya Persimmon Sorbet
Ingredients
Hachiya persimmon
Preparations
1. Wash Hachiya persimmon. Place in freezer bag and freeze.
2. Partially thaw Hachiya persimmon in refrigerator. Using a sharp knife cut in half crosswise or lengthwise.
3. Enjoy the cool sweet pulp using a teaspoon no sweetener needed here.
Copyright © 2011 by Norma Chang
Garden to Wok 
Very pretty and delicious dessert.
Hello Mac,
When the ice cream melts into the thawed or partially thawed Hachiya persimmons, it is just divine.
I love the Oriental persimmons. I planted two of the non-astringent types about 3 years ago. Now I am looking for an astringent variety. Hachiya is not going to be hardy enough for us here, so I am looking for another one, maybe Tanenashi.
Thanks for the recipe ideas for these tasty fruits! I made some persimmon cookies a couple of weeks ago with some Hachiyas.
Hello Dave,
Lucky you. I for years wanted to plant some but am in the wrong zone. Are your trees producing?
The Ichi Ki Kei Jiro has just started producing, with 2 fruits last year. This year they all fell off. So hopefully next year we will get some again next year. The other tree (Gwang Yang) hasn’t fruited yet.
Hello Dave,
Do you know why the fruits fell off your Ichi Ki Kei Jiro? Hope you get plenty fruits next year.
Yum yum – I can’t wait for my tree to fruit next year! 🙂
Hello Barbie,
How lucky that you can plant persimmon trees. How old is your tree?
Thanks for posting about persimmons — it brings back fond memories of the ones my mother grew in her backyard, and how she would cover them with brown paper bags to keep the birds from getting at them!
Hello leduesorelle,
Always wonderful to take trips down memory lane.
I love this kind of persimmons.They usually come in hard like rocks from the supermarkets. I will try your speed-up ripening process, and the different recipes as well. Thank you!!
Hello Linda,
Yep, that silky smooth and oh so sweet pulp is out of this world. Let me know the results of your ripening process.
Hello Linda,
If you like your Fuyu persimmons soft, place them in the fridge with other fruits and they will soften in a few days, may take up to a week depending on the ripeness of the Fuyu. They do taste sweeter.
thank you for commenting on my blog. Yes i have had persimmons before and used them in a banana cake recipe instead of banana and it turned out very well. Like so many tropical fruit you have to wait until hey are very ripe to get rid of the astringency. I am off to have a look at your ginger wine post – yum!
Hello Africanaussie,
Substituting persimmons for banana in a banana cake is a great idea. I must try. Do you use the hachiya persimmon or the fuyu?