This is a recipe especially for those vistors to this site from the northern hemisphere where persimmons are in season. In Sydney persimmonscan be replaced with fresh mango that is now in season.

There are many recipes using this delicious autumn fruit in baked goods but I thought it was a waste of the truly luscious sweetness of this fruit.

This trifle recipe keeps the raw fruit and all its nutritious goodness and marries it with a freshness of orange custard and crushed Savoiardi biscuits soaked in the Gran Marnier to layer into individual trifles. Crushed Amaretti biscuits form a layer to place the persimmon or other fruit topping.

Persimmon and Orange Custard Trifles

Ingredients:

• 3 large persimmons, either hiachyia or fuyu, but they must be translucent and nearly falling apart.
• 1 3/4  cups of milk
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3 eggs
• 3 Tblsp sugar
• 2Tblsp cornflour
• 2 long strips of orange peel
• 2 savoiardi biscuits per serving glass
• Crushed amaretti biscuits
• Grand Marnier liqueur or other preferred liquer

Method:

1. Cut the persimmons lengthwise and scoop out the inner flesh and set aside
2. In a saucepan, beat eggs and sugar till thick and creamy
3. Make a paste with the cornflour and the orange juice
4. Pour into the egg mixture and combine well
5. Gradually whisk in the milk
6. Place the orange strips into the mixture
7. Place the saucepan over a low heat and bring to the boil stirring constantly to prevent the custard from catching
8. When the mixture begins to thicken and bubble, lower the heat to simmer
9. Whisk while the mixture cooks for  1 minute
10. It should be thickened and creamy
11. Remove from the heat and remove the strips of ornge peel
12.  Cover the pan to prevent a skin forming
13. Starting with the biscuit layer, spoon layers of custard and the savoiardi biscuits soaked in Grand Marnier into the serving glasses and sprinkle finely crushed amaretti bicuits over the final custard layer
14. Chill in the fridge
15. When serving, spoon a layer of persimmon flesh over the top of the custard

Variation:

Other fresh fruit in season can be substitiuted like mango, papaya or berries in season.