This dish celebrates persimmons with an orange cardamom sauce and a spoonful of vegan vanilla bean cream. Caramelized persimmons make for a healthy dessert or sweet side accompaniment at brunch.
¼cuporange juice(ideally fresh, from about 1 orange)
1tablespoonmaple syrup
¼teaspoonorange zest(extra for garnish)
¼teaspoonground cardamom
1pinchnutmeg
1pinchcinnamon
½vanilla bean, seeds scraped(seeds only, see note 1)
Vanilla Maple Cream
⅔cupraw cashews, soaked and drained(see note 2)
2tablespoonsmaple syrup
½vanilla bean(seeds only, see note 1)
Pinchfine sea salt
2 to 4tablespoonscold water
Instructions
Oven: Put a rack in the upper-third of the oven and set to broil.
Prep Persimmons: Slice the tops off the persimmons and peel the skin. Cut ½-inch slices (about 4 slices per persimmon). Arrange the slices in a broiler-safe casserole dish.
Mix sauce: In a small measuring cup (see note 3), whisk together orange juice, maple syrup, orange zest, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla seeds. Pour over persimmons and flip persimmons so both sides get coated.
Broil: Broil until the edges of the persimmons are caramelized, 5 to 10 minutes (watch carefully because broil times vary significantly!).
Make Vanilla Maple Cream: Meanwhile, add soaked cashews, maple syrup, vanilla seeds, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the water to the blender. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add small increments of additional water, if needed, until it's the consistency of yogurt.
Serve: Serve persimmons warm with a generous dollop of the cream. Garnish with orange zest (optional).
Notes
How to seed a vanilla bean: To remove the seeds from a vanilla bean, slice the bean lengthwise. Hold the hooked end down on the cutting board to secure it, then run the back of your knife against the cut side of the bean. Small black seeds will accumulate on your knife. For this recipe, you just need the seeds. You can put what's left of the bean in sugar to make vanilla-infused sugar!
How to soak cashews: The cashews should be soaked long enough that they're soft when squeezed between your fingers. The fastest soaking method is to pour boiling water over the cashews and let sit for about 30 minutes; otherwise, cover cashews with room temperature water overnight.
Technique tip: I like to measure and mix the sauce directly in a liquid measuring cup (to save dishes), but you can do this step in a small bowl if you prefer.