persimmon pavlova
hi friends!!
it’s thaaat time of year! that is, persimmonifying everything! :) Although right now is a bit later than when persimmons are at enjoyed at their peak, a few aussie pals on IG commented that it’s actually prime time for pavlovas because it’s mostly enjoyed in the summer (which is US’ winter), and especially around christmas time! aaand that time is now.
i combed through my persimmon recipes (mostly from 2018 when i was living in paris), and i can’t imagine living with so much obsession and motivation to create like 4 persimmon recipes in the span of one winter season. there were recipes about persimmon donuts, persimmon galettes, persimmon salad, and even persimmon jook.
i think it’s always nice to reflect on behaviors and patterns, and i think for koreans, we definitely have special memories with gam (persimmon in korean). on my trip to korea this past fall, it wasn’t hard finding streets lined with trees sprinkled with bright orange gams along with homes with gams trees in their yards. they’re literally everywhere.
i also know a lot of korean-american friends, as well as myself, who also grew up with persimmons in our backyards, and i thought about how someone intentionally decided to plant those persimmon trees in our american yards. that someone for me was most likely my mom, and i get sappy thinking about how she uprooted herself from her homeland and planted a tree with familiar fruit in foreign soil to make it feel more like home.
after i finished making this pavlova, i walked a slice over to my korean neighbor down the hall. although the idea of pavlova was a bit strange to her, her face lit up when i told her that the orange topping was gam. she said the cinnamon reminded her of sujeonggwa, a spicy korean punch made with cinnamon and dried persimmons. as 1.5-2 generation korean-americans, i’m glad we were able to connect on our taste memories of gam and cinnamon :)
some comments on this recipe: if you haven’t tried pavlova, please try it! it’s an aussie/nz favorite that i learned to appreciate oddly after having the corn husk meringue at cosme. they’re pretty similar in texture - but one thing i did with a traditional pavlova recipe (along with the addition of persimmons) is brown the edges so that it tastes like toasted marshmallows. i hope i don’t offend any pavlova traditionalists, or people who like pure whiteness in pavlovas, but please give this tinted toastier pavlova a try!
xo, christine
persimmon pavlova
6 servings
ingredients
pavlova
4 egg whites room temperature + a pinch of salt
1 cup of granulated sugar
+
1.5 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon of vinegar/lemon juice (i used white balsamic vinegar)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
persimmon topping
4 dan gam (hard persimmons/fuyu)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
zest and juice of half a lemon (~1 tbs)
1 teaspoon of white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
a pinch of sea/maldon salt
whipped cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
special tools
stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment
grocery list
1 lemon
4 dan gam (persimmons)
4 eggs
heavy cream
white balsamic vinegar or a sweeter white vinegar
vanilla extract
granulated sugar
powdered sugar
corn starch
cinnamon
notes
pavlova prep
preheat oven to 350F
line a baking sheet with parchment paper, outline the dish/cake stand you will be serving the pavlova on, flip the parchment paper so that the markings are on the underside
pavlova
bring 4 eggs down to room temperature (this is crucial!)
separate egg yolks and whites. add egg whites into mixing bowl with a pinch of salt
using a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat eggs on medium speed until they develop soft peaks (4-5 minutes). then, in 1/4 cup increments, add in sugar and continue beating for 1 minute. kick up the speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes until mixture becomes glossy and stiff peaks form
using a rubber spatula, fold in corn starch + vanilla extract + vinegar just until the vanilla extract color has incorporated. do not over mix!
transfer mixture to your lined baking sheet within the outlined circle, shape into a mound with a flattened top
transfer pavlova to the oven and reduce oven temp to 250f. bake for 1h and 15 minutes.
after an 1h and 15 minutes, turn oven off and let the pavlova cool down in the oven.
persimmon topping
while the pavlova is baking, prepare the persimmon topping. peel and dice 4 persimmons
in a mixing bowl, add diced persimmons, sugar, the zest of 1/2 lemon, lemon juice, vinegar, cinnamon, and salt. give it a quick toss with a spoon, cover, and place in the fridge to chill.
whipped cream
(prepare after the pavlova cools down and comes out of the oven)
in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add cold heavy cream and beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute. add in powdered sugar 1 tbs at a time and continue to beat until the cream thickens and has medium peaks and holds its shape. fold in vanilla extract.
assembly
after pavlova has cooled, flatten the center of the the pavlova using the back of a spoon so that the whipped cream and persimmon topping holds in the center
top the pavlova with whipped cream, spoon on the persimmon topping, and enjoy!
