Bosc Pears in Rosé Wine with Persimmon Ice Cream

Yield: Makes 6 servings

A stunning dessert that lets two autumn fruits—pears and persimmons—shine.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 firm but ripe medium Bosc pears, peeled, halved, cored
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 1/3 cups semi-dry rosé wine
• 1/4 cup wildflower honey

Preparation
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears, cut side down. Tuck thyme sprigs around pears. Cook until cut sides are brown (do not turn pears over), about 3 minutes. Transfer pears to plate. Add rosé wine and wildflower honey to same skillet and boil until mixture is reduced to about 1 cup, scraping up any browned bits, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add pears, cut side up. Spoon some of juices in skillet over pears, cover skillet, and simmer until pears are tender, about 10 minutes. DO AHEAD: Pears can be made 4 hours ahead. Uncover and let stand at room temperature. Rewarm pears before continuing, if desired.
Place 1 warm or room-temperature pear half, cut side up, on each of 6 plates. Drizzle pears with sauce from skillet. Spoon scoop of Persimmon Ice Cream alongside pears and serve.

Persimmon Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon (scant) salt
• 8 large ripe Hachiya persimmons, halved, seeded
• 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Preparation

Heat heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add whole black peppercorns; toast until fragrant and beginning to smoke, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl to cool. Coarsely crush peppercorns in mortar with pestle, or place peppercorns in resealable plastic freezer bag, and seal; crush with mallet.
Transfer crushed peppercorns to small saucepan. Add 1 cup water, sugar, and scant 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil mixture until reduced to 1 cup, about 4 minutes. Refrigerate until cold. DO AHEAD: Black pepper syrup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.
Scoop persimmon flesh from skins into blender. Puree until smooth. Measure 2 cups puree for making ice cream, reserving any remaining puree for another use. Cover and chill puree until cold, about 2 hours.
Strain black pepper syrup into large bowl. Whisk in 2 cups persimmon puree and cream. Process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer ice cream to container, cover, and freeze. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.

Persimmon Ice Cream

Makes 1/2 gallon

6 Ripe Japanese Persimmons

3/4 c Granulated sugar

4 tb Lemon juice

3 1/2 c Heavy cream

1. Puree peeled and seeded Persimmons in an electric blender.

2. Add sugar" lemon juice, and heavy cream to Persimmon puree.

3. Churn-freeze.

The Persimmons used in this recipe are called Japanese or oriental Persimmons. They are grown commercially in California. The mature Persimmons are approximately 3 inches in diameter, reddish orange in color and very sweet.

Persimmon Clove Ice Cream with Ginger Caramel Sauce

1/3 c sugar

2/3 c water

2 tsp honey

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp ground clove

2 c Hachiya persimmon purée

1 c whole milk

3/4 c half-and-half

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

For the ginger caramel sauce:

1 c sugar

¼ c water

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

½ c heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

pinch salt

Special equipment: an ice cream maker

Bring sugar, water, honey, and salt to a boil in a 1 1/2 quart

saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil syrup until

reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in clove and cool

completely.

Stir together persimmon purée, syrup, milk, half-and-half,

vanilla, and lemon juice and chill, covered, until cold, at least 3

hours. Persimmon milk can be chilled 1 day.

Freeze mixture in ice cream maker according to the

manufacturer’s instructions, then transfer to an airtight

container and put in freezer to harden.

To make the sauce, place sugar in small saucepan and pour the

water over the top. Set over medium-high heat and swirl until

sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear.

Once sugar is completely dissolved, increase heat to high and

bring to a boil, cover and cook for two minutes. Uncover and

continue to boil until syrup darkens around edges. Gently swirl

until syrup turns deep amber and begins to smoke.

Remove from heat and add butter. Gently beat until incorporated.

Stir in cream, vanilla, ginger, and pinch of salt. Serve at room

temperature, spooned over ice cream.

Persimmon Sherbert

Hachiya persimmons

Cut off a piece of the pointed tip of a hachiya persimmon, then wrap it tightly, first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Partially thaw the persimmon in the refrigerator until it is just spoonable, about 4 hours, do not thaw completely or the fruit will be mushy. For an added nuance, insert the tip of a knife and dribble in a little fruit or nut liquor. Serve whole and let the guests scoop the pulp from the skin