Hoshigaki (Dried Persimmons) Recipe (2024)

You can certainly dehydrate persimmons. I've done this with Fuyu variety, cutting them into thick disks and then drying overnight. They're delicious.But they are nothing like hoshigaki, which I have also made from both Fuyu and Hachiya varieties. Dehydrated persimmon have a completely different texture and flavor from slow-dried. I am pretty sure that a dehydrator would not yield proper hoshigaki, even if you periodically massaged them.I dry my hoshigaki indoors, in front of a tower fan.

When I have made hoshigaki, I left out the dunking in boiling water to sterilize the fruit. And my persimmons dried beautifully indoors with a fan swirling the air around them, drying them evenly. A spray bottle of vodka does miracles in stopping mold from spreading. Nothing tastes as delicious as a home-dried hoshigaki!

Luckily and conveniently, it is not difficult to buy dried persimmons in NYC in either HK Supermarket or H Mart. J'adore NYC

We "dry' ours in our gas oven, where the pilot light creates just enough heat to speed up the process. It typically takes 7-10 days for them to finish, depending on the size of the fruit. If they're particularly large (bigger than an average man's fist), it could take up to two weeks. Pro tip: If using this method, be careful not to over dry, as you may think they need more time, but because they're warm, they're more pliable. They tighten up considerably when they cool. Truly magical when done.

We started out dunking in bourbon and got LOTs of mold. Some was hidden inside fruit that seemed okay on the outside. I think it varies greatly on your climate; we are in the Bay Area. Second try, we dunked in boiling water, and brought them inside with a fan on. Much less mold. But we found that it was impossible to remove mold if it started, it just took over. So the people who didn't get mold are lucky. But I don't recommend skipping the boiling water. It's too much work to see it ruined.

Also, no need to dunk in boiling water with this method, as we've never had them get moldy. No kneading required either. You want to let the fruit approach ripeness to mitigate the astringency, but have the flesh still be firm so that they can be peeled and maintain they're structural integrity while drying. Do not let the fruit get soft prior to peeling!

I tend to become obsessed with rather obscure recipes, and 2 years ago it was hoshigaki's turn. So, in my experience: - I didn't dip them, no mold, but I had them in a place where there was no humidity - It's not necessarily a week of drying initially, but that you have to wait for the outside to become stiff so that you can massage them properly. - Yes, it's called massaging. - They start out firm and then get more pliable, so the massage goes from a gentle squeeze to a bit more squishing.

More notes: - The drying process took a lot longer than 3 weeks. Most recipes say a couple of months, and that's how long mine took. - They don't always get the sugar bloom. If they don't, once they're sufficiently dry put them in a mason jar and close it; the bloom will form. - Oh, re: hanging them up. Mine never have enough of a stem, so I work a long screw into the top and hang them from that. Works perfectly!

They're likely fine. Mine dry out at different rates, i.e. one part gets darker and the other stays lighter. Are you massaging them every couple of days? I've found that redistributes the flesh such that they dry out more evenly.

I was really disappointed in the dried persimmons I recently purchased from H-Mart in NYC. They were almost completely flavorless, and now I feel I must find or make the real thing.

Last year we didn't dip in boiling water or vodka and no mold. Tried our first batch this year with same method and entire batch got mold. Started over again (so much work) and dipped in vodka and no mold. Hung indoors with fan in windows with sunlight. Delicious. We highly recommend consuming with a great green tea. The green tea elevates the experience to an even higher level. Synergistic!

I am in the middle of this process, but I'm not sure if it's working out. The tips of my fruit are much darker and softer than the rest of the fruit, so it seems they are rotting rather than drying out. Should I abandon the process? Thanks for any tips.

I tend to become obsessed with rather obscure recipes, and 2 years ago it was hoshigaki's turn. So, in my experience: - I didn't dip them, no mold, but I had them in a place where there was no humidity - It's not necessarily a week of drying initially, but that you have to wait for the outside to become stiff so that you can massage them properly. - Yes, it's called massaging. - They start out firm and then get more pliable, so the massage goes from a gentle squeeze to a bit more squishing.

More notes: - The drying process took a lot longer than 3 weeks. Most recipes say a couple of months, and that's how long mine took. - They don't always get the sugar bloom. If they don't, once they're sufficiently dry put them in a mason jar and close it; the bloom will form. - Oh, re: hanging them up. Mine never have enough of a stem, so I work a long screw into the top and hang them from that. Works perfectly!

Pretty much did this exactly, but the sugar bloom never came. Thoughts?

My Korean relatives would send these from the Bay Area to our Chicago family each season after buying from an elder who specialized in the home drying technique. So delicious, and a rare instance of reaping the fruits of delayed gratification in this world of instant pleasure! The store-bought kind usually are treated with chemicals and I've never found any that are as good as the home dried version.

We started out dunking in bourbon and got LOTs of mold. Some was hidden inside fruit that seemed okay on the outside. I think it varies greatly on your climate; we are in the Bay Area. Second try, we dunked in boiling water, and brought them inside with a fan on. Much less mold. But we found that it was impossible to remove mold if it started, it just took over. So the people who didn't get mold are lucky. But I don't recommend skipping the boiling water. It's too much work to see it ruined.

I have been making these for years and have never dunked them in boiling water. This step is probably not necessary, and I’m sure they don’t do it that way in Japan. They make lovely gifts wrapped in tissue paper in a small box.

A gin bath did not stop a wicked mold bloom. A rum bath followed by a move from the kitchen to the living room (with overhead fan) saved the day. Watching the sugar bloom was euphoric.

I have a large Hachiya tree in the side yard. I've dried slices in the food dehydrator but they always retain a tannic flavor so I plan to try this method with whole fruits next year. I usually wait till the persimmons are extremely soft and use the pulp instead of pumpkin puree in recipes. Thank you for this new idea.

We "dry' ours in our gas oven, where the pilot light creates just enough heat to speed up the process. It typically takes 7-10 days for them to finish, depending on the size of the fruit. If they're particularly large (bigger than an average man's fist), it could take up to two weeks. Pro tip: If using this method, be careful not to over dry, as you may think they need more time, but because they're warm, they're more pliable. They tighten up considerably when they cool. Truly magical when done.

Also, no need to dunk in boiling water with this method, as we've never had them get moldy. No kneading required either. You want to let the fruit approach ripeness to mitigate the astringency, but have the flesh still be firm so that they can be peeled and maintain they're structural integrity while drying. Do not let the fruit get soft prior to peeling!

This recipe made me sooo happy!!! I love hoshigaki and who can resist a recipe with obsession thrown in? Not me. I’ve already given a pep talk to my dog. I can’t waitHappy New Year!

Persimmon Haiku (almost):Dried sweet persimmons.Of a culture so patient. A delicious obsession!