Persimmon Flan – I’ve Got My Eye Set On You…BOO!
I eventually jumped on board the Great HallowTweet and was having fun in no time. I had a flashing thought from a brilliant Halloween post from Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella, & decided to top my flan with an eyeball made out of marzipan. Made some marzipan (from almond meal that I made for my mac escapades), and have to say that my foodie journey is becoming more and more exciting! This flan is made out of persimmons, my first adventure with this very temperamental and unpredictable fruit! 
Lesson learnt – Fruits of the God & ‘he’ knows how to figure them out! Unfortunately, I found the fruit downright fussy for me. It took me one astringent bite to decide. ACK, it had ‘caught my throat’! Thereafter began my battle. Sat them in a brown paper bag for days. Are they ripe? Cut one … ugh! Finally got 2-3 ripe fruit & was forced to chuck 2-3 unripe ones. Hmmm… just when I was ready to throw the towel in, I saw a tweet from Lisa @ Lisa is Cooking. She made Persimmon Flan, and boy did it look good! WOW!!
That was enough for me to get back into the game. I discussed ingredients with her on ever dependable Twitter, and with great inspiration from her, arrived at this beautiful flan. I wouldn’t say that it had a discernable persimmon taste (or maybe I know only of astringent tastes), but the flan was drop dead gorgeous, and very delicious. No eggy taste either. Beautifully behaved, it turned out easily from the mold. I made 3 4″ flans, and 8 tiny little ones in fluted tart pans. 
Persimmon puree
5-6 very ripe fuyu persimmons, calyx (cap)/stem removed
1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp cinnamon powder (optional; you can even use pumpkin pie spice)
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
Method:
Place all of the above in a heavy bottom saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes, a bit more if the fruit aren’t very very ripe.
Cool & refrigerate overnight for the flavours to marry.
Discard the cinnamon stalk (& seeds of the persimmon, if any. Mine were seedless), whiz in the blender. Yield 1cup persimmon puree.
Caramel
1 cup granular sugar
1 tbsp water
Method:
Make a caramel out of 1 cup granular sugar. Heat 1 cup sugar in a heavy bottom pan,& stir gently only when it begins melting.Once it is golden brown & completely melted, remove form the fire & add 1 tbsp of water. BE CAREFUL at this point as it is dangerously hot, and will splutter. Allow them to bubble for a few seconds & come together. Quickly pour into your molds & twirl the molds around to coat bottom and sides (or only bottoms if you like).
Custard:
1 cup persimmon puree
200ml low fat cream (25%)
4 small eggs
1/2 cup almond meal
1 tin/400ml condensed ilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon powder
Method:
Preheat oven to 170C
Place all of the above in a big bowl & whisk for 1 minute to blend.
Pour into prepared caramel lined molds, just below the tops.
Place in a roasting tin, and pour enough hot water in the roasting tin to some about half way up the sides of the molds.
Bake for 25-30minutes, until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool, and then chill. (Do not try to turn out the custard warm/hot. It will fall apart) 
Run a knife around the edges, or give the mold a good shake, and turn it out into he serving plate. Pour any remaining caramel over the top. (Tastes mighty fine with a LITTLE drizzle of cream too)
♥ Thank you for stopping by ♥
Be sure to take the Halloween hoppa which you will find on my sidebar & check out the rest of the gang on the Great HallowTweet! Thanks for taking me on Renee … BOOOOOO!!
Don’t miss a post 
Deeba @ PAB
About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.
51 Comments
The Cooking Ninja
wow! Gorgeous!
I wonder how it taste like. Wld hv love to have a bite of it. 🙂
bethany (Dirty Kitchen Secrets)
That looks absolutely delicious. Love the Idea! I've always wondered what else do to with persimmons.
bethany (Dirty Kitchen Secrets)
That looks absolutely delicious. Love the Idea! I've always wondered what else do to with persimmons.
Rosa's Yummy Yums
great quote, wonderful creation and delicious dessert!
Cheers,
Rosa
Nags
this is such a cute post! love the eyes on the flan 😀
MeetaK
you are a star. persimmon flan look divine deeba. i just bought a load of persimmon again and will give this a try! happy Halloween to you!
Divina Pe
I love what you did with the flan – th spider web and other creativity but I couldn't stand black spiders. I hate them. But I definitely love the flan. 🙂
Jamie
That persimmon flan looks mighty splendid all on its own – and I agree about the cream – but I love the scary Halloween costume you dressed it up on! Fun!! Laugh out loud fun! Very cool! Gosh, I may have to hop on that Halloween Tweet Express after all!
RJ Flamingo
Awesome post, Deeba! Love the flan & love what you did with it (to it?) – the little ones with the eyes cracked me up! 😀
Thanks for joining us!
Barbara Bakes
Now that you've started with Halloween you won't want to give it up! Thanks for the warning on persimmons. I never knew. They look so tasty with their beautiful orange color.
Your flan looks delicious! Even with a scary eye in the middle. What did the kids think about it?
glamah16
I love persimmoms and that is a gorgeous flan.
lisaiscooking
Your scary eyeball flan looks terrific, and I love the little fluted ones! I'm so glad it wasn't eggy for you. The fruit and almond meal prevent egginess I think. And, I hope persimmons are kinder to you if you ever decide to use them again. 😉
Mowie @ Mowielicious
Oh Deeba those look so cute and I love the eyes staring out of the cake! Adorable!
Curry Leaf
I can imagine the caramel taste thgh never tried persimmon.Love the eyeballs .
Tangled Noodle
This post is both fun and delicious! 😎 The flans are absolutely gorgeous – I had seen Lisa's, too, and would love to have a taste of either of your creations.
Gloria
Deeba!!! i love this post specially the eyes in the faln, daugther will love these Im suer!! so lovely pictures my dear, boo huu!! je gloria
Rose
Excellent! It looks so beautiful! I keep trying to use persimmons as well. It seems as though everyone loves them, but every time I bite into one I just don't really care for it. This looks like a perfect way to try them!
Lea Ann
My grocery stores have baskets and baskets full of persimmons that tempt me everytime I walk in their doors. This looks wonderful. I might just have to give it a try.
Beautiful pictures and post
Deborah Mele
Deeba,
Have been looking for this recipe as we are being overloaded with cachi (persimmons) in every store & market. I have never tasted them or cooked with them but plan to start this week. THANKS for the recipe!
DebIFF
Deborah Mele
And I meant to say but forgot I LOVE your photos! Your food blogs are different from anyone else's and your photos ALWAYS rock!
Some day you need to come to Umbria and help me out with my photos Deeba!
DebIFF
Michelle
I died and went to heaven in Deeba's kitchen!
What a fabulous flan! Really is there anything better then flan?
Baking Monster
Yum! I have never baked with Persimmons and it seems thats what everyones doing so I think I will try your flan it will be perfect for the day of the dead!
meeso
The flan looks gorgeous, I'm sure this didn't catch your throat 🙂
Judy@nofearentertaining
You are amazing! Not even celebrating Halloween but you are inspired and ready to jump right in. One of the many reasons I love you!!! Very spooky flan!
Superchef
looks absolutely delicious..love some fo the pictures..esp the one where the flan has eyes!! 🙂
Arunah
Absolutely stunning !
Beautiful pics and the flan sounds delicious !
But as some people, your persimmon flan looks better in its naked splendour…
Art is more important than Halloween…
Jen (jenius.com.au)
i love persimmons but have only ever had them as fresh fruit. well done on the flan, it looks amazing 🙂
lisa @ dandysugar
What a wonderful twist on flan. I love both persimmons and flan, so I know I would go nuts for this dessert! I saw a spiced flan recipe recently and have been meaning to try it- you've inspired me to get going on it!
shaz
That's just boo-tiful Deeba! I played with eyeballs too but your version sounds so much tastier…love caramel custard things, and the addition of persimmon just clinches it. Great job!
Chow and Chatter
oh wow what a flan love it
zurin
that is one beautiful flan! the sheen is incredible. Ive never tasted persimmons but im sure the flan was as delicious as it looks.:)
Helene
I've only had persimmons once. I find that turning it into a flan is a brilliant idea. Love how you did decorate it. Feels so Halloween now.
Karine
What an amazing flan! I should try persimmons… I saw some at the frocery store the other week 🙂
Arwen from Hoglet K
I like the autumn leaves with the creepy crawlies and the eyeball – perfect for Halloween. It's nice that the fruit seller wasn't really trying to trick you.
Happy cook
Wow the flan looks so so perfect and delicous. I have only ate this fruit twice and didn't like it , but i am sure made flan i owuld love it.
Here in belgium they don't celebrate halloween anyway not in a big way like in US, even though the last years shops ate full with halloween treats etc…..
Trissa
Well done Deeba! You've conquered the persimmon. The flan and especially the caramel looks beautiful.
Madame Sucre
I never thought anyone can make flan out of persimmon..then again , you are not anyone!! such a great job done.. LOVE persimmon ,, for sure i'd love this flan!
Nachiketa
Love the spirit you blog with… all this new stuff….overcoming all sorts of odds…. yet, coming up with the most mouth watering stuff…..
Murasaki Shikibu
You're a star, Deeba. I could never pay this much attention to detail in my blogging.
Persimmons are a very Japanese fruit and my grandmother had one in our garden that bore fruit every fruit and we'd have carton boxes full of persimmons every year. 🙂
Lauren
So fun! Love all of the photos =D.
Elle
You're right–they are drop dead gorgeous! I've never tried persimmons before, and I'm not sure if I'm up for the challenge, hehe. But they sure are a pretty fruit. But not nearly as pretty as your stunning flans!
Natashya KitchenPuppies
I love the pictures!
I have worked with persimmons once, I guess softer ones, but they had no real taste. I don't think soft fruit travels to Canada very well.
Your flan is gorgeous, and I love the eyeball!
Tracy @ Sugarcrafter
Mmm, looks absolutely delicious! How fun!
anna
Yummy! I've recently discovered persimmons as well but haven't bothered to make anything with them yet – they're just so yummy on their own! This looks great and I adore the little eyeball. Creepy!
pigpigscorner
ooo spooky…and so cute!!
Susan from Food Blogga
It's "boo-tiful" Deeba! 🙂
Muneeba
I've come across persimmon flans on other blogs too … and I wish I had seen them when persimmons were actually in season here! You're right that they need to ripen a fair amount to really enjoy them. I do like the flavor though – have had them as is. But the flans (especially with the wonky eyes) look completely irresistible!
Bren
fabulous looking flan. I'll have to say one of the best in the blogosphere i've seen. it's always nice to see different methods of making something i looove so much.
Y
What a stunning looking dessert, especially that glaze on top of the flan! Lickable!
aelm
Hello!
I just found some persimmons in the grocery store and I will try to make your delicious recipe, I just have a question, as I never had them before. To make the pure, do you peal them?
Thank you and thanks for sharing!
Greetings
aelm
I mean peel 🙂