ITALIAN BACKGROUND
Baked Persimmons
Serves 4
4 ripe persimmons, halved
50g butter
200ml dessert wine
Juice of 1 orange
1 vanilla pod, seeded and keep pod
½ tsp mixed spice
50g dark muscovado sugar
200g frozen raspberries (do not defrost)
To serve:
100g toasted hazelnuts, roughly crushed
Vanilla ice cream garnished with orange zest
Method:
· Preheat the oven to 220°C.
· Melt together the butter, dessert wine, orange juice, vanilla seeds, mixed spice and sugar together.
· Remove the leaves and halve the persimmons. Place cut side up in a snug fitting round baking dish.
· Pour over the vanilla syrup and tuck in the vanilla pod.
· Bake for 20 minutes until the persimmons soften, spoon over the syrup at intervals.
· Add the frozen raspberries for a further 3 minutes.
· Sprinkle over toasted hazelnuts and serve with vanilla ice cream
