A Recipe for a Chocolate-Persimmon Custard Pie

Did you know that you can combine persimmon and cocoa? Well, here's a take on a traditional dessert with two exotic ingredients that are here to stay. Continue reading to find out how to make it!

Written and verified by the nutritionist Anna Vilarrasa.

Last update: 27 May, 2022

The main ingredients of this delicious custard pie are persimmon and chocolate. Both are quite popular these days as people finally recognized their nutritional value. As you can imagine, these are now common products in local markets.

This is a simple dessert with a surprising flavor and texture that’s pleasing for both young and old. It’s a dish you’ll surely add to your repertoire.

A healthy dessert with much potential

Persimmon and cocoa are two ingredients you might want to introduce into your daily diet. They’re also quite versatile as you can use them in a variety of ways:  salads, smoothies, yogurt, and desserts.

The persimmon is a fruit native to Japan and China, although nowadays you can find it in many other countries of the world. There are many varieties and all of them stand out for their unique flavor.

Note its high content of water, fiber, and vitamins A and C at a nutritional level. It also provides antioxidants and other components that have exceptional effects on health.

Similarly, cocoa is native to the American continent. Known as “the food of the gods” by the Incas, it became popular in Europe due to its medicinal properties.

Natural cacao doesn’t contain the added sugar of chocolate so it’s better to consume it in its pure form. This is the best way to take advantage of its potential properties for the body — although experts point out there isn’t enough scientific evidence behind these claims:

• It helps protect the cardiovascular system through the reduction of blood pressure.
• It contains antioxidants.
• Finally, it improves blood circulation in the brain.

Learn how to make this Healthy Pudding with Blueberry and Cocoa

How to make chocolate persimmon custard pie

When it comes to healthy desserts, you can obtain the most optimal results with just a few ingredients. The fruit is often the main ingredient.

Custard pie is a traditional dessert in many countries and so there are several ways to make them, all you need is the imagination to come up with various combinations of ingredients and flavors.

The most common cooking methods are baking and bain-marie, and you can incorporate fruit, vegetable drinks, or alter the traditional recipe and make a sugar-free version.

Option 1: A dessert without sugar, eggs, or milk

This alternative only requires a little amount of pure cocoa and some ripe persimmons, that’s it. It only takes a few minutes to make.

Ingredients to prepare 6 servings

• 2 lbs. of persimmons (the weight of the peeled and cut fruit)
• 2.5 oz. of 100% cocoa powder

How to cook it

1. First, peel and cut the persimmon into medium-sized pieces and blend it to a creamy consistency
2. Next, add the cocoa and blend it again until a homogeneous
3. Then, pour it into individual molds and cover with aluminum foil; then, place in the fridge for at least six hours (overnight, if possible)
4. You may take it out of the fridge after this time, note the creamier texture (it may be a little different from the traditional custard pie but the result is equally tasty

This dessert could be on your list of sugar-free desserts as it only contains natural sugars. It’s pretty much the same as eating the fruit with cocoa.

Also, it’s quite suitable for people with common intolerances and allergies such as egg and milk. It’s also suitable for coeliacs if you use 100% cocoa.

Those who prefer a sweeter touch may add some kind of sweetener; although it’s always better to get used to the actual flavor of the fruit. Add a touch of cinnamon or vanilla to enhance the flavor if you think it needs it.

Option 2: Chocolate persimmon custard pie with eggs

The most traditional flan, but prepared at home and with fruit as the main ingredient.

Ingredients needed

• 1 lb. of ripe persimmons
• 1.5 oz. of 100% cocoa powder
• 5 eggs
• 5 oz. of sugar
• 3.5 oz. of sugar for the caramel

Step by step

1. First, peel and chop the persimmons and then set them aside
2. Then, make the caramel by placing the 3.5 ounces of sugar in a saucepan and a tiny amount of water; cook it until it melts, and then pour it into the mold to cover the bottom
3. Mix the fruit and the cocoa, the consistency should be thick and homogeneous
4. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the rest of the sugar and then add it to the previous mixture, and then, pour it all into the mold that contains the caramel and cover it with aluminum foil
5. Bake it at 350 Fahrenheit for an hour or cook it in a water bath for the same amount of time; it’ll be ready when you insert a fork into it and it comes out clean
6. Remove it from the oven and set it aside to allow it to cool down completely and then place it in the fridge for at least two hours (make it the day before you intend to serve it for better consistency and flavor)
7. You may reduce the sugar content of this preparation by skipping the caramel and adding some chopped nuts on top of it once you take it out of the mold

More healthy recipes Recipe to Make Quick Delicious Flan

The gist about chocolate persimmon pie

The two versions are relatively easy and you can make them in a short amount of time. This is why it could be one of your regular desserts at any hour of the day.

Keep in mind that the first recipe would be better for regular consumption and you might want to set aside the second one for special occasions.

Garnish the chocolate persimmon pie with a cookie or wafer when you serve it, you may also sprinkle some chopped nuts on it.

This kind of dessert is great for eating more fruit and increasing its variety. The striking color of persimmons reveals their impressive contribution of vitamins, antioxidants, and beta-carotene.

Finally, chocolate lovers will delight with the strong taste of real chocolate, you can get used to its bitterness so don’t be scared of it and give it a chance.

This is because it’s the best way to make the most of the benefits of cocoa. This plant has been valued for thousands of years in pre-Colombian cultures across what’s now known as Mexico.