Recipe: Top these spicy treats with orange icing
Orange icing tops these old-fashioned spiced cookies made with super-ripe persimmon pulp. Debbie Arrington
With ripe persimmons come persimmon cookies.
Off the tree, my Fuyus are quickly turning into sacks of jelly. That super-ripe pulp is perfect for making these old-fashioned drop cookies.
Angostura bitters intensifies the orange color of the dough as well as the fall flavors. The subtle icing tastes like orange but looks pale by comparison.
These cake-like treats can be served without icing or just a dusting of powdered sugar, too. Got lots of persimmon pulp? Make a double batch of cookies and keep some for later; these cookies freeze well.
Persimmon cookies with orange icing
Makes 3 dozen
Ingredients:
1 cup persimmon pulp, pureed
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
¼ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon Angostura bitters
1 cup raisins
For icing:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Scoop pulp out of persimmon and mash or puree. Stir in baking soda; set aside.
Sift together flour, salt and spices. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugar. Beat in egg until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and bitters.
Add persimmon pulp mixture to butter-sugar mixture. Stir in dry ingredients until just blended.
Rinse raisins with hot water. Drain well. Add to cookie dough.
Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. By rounded spoonful using two teaspoons, drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, allowing 2 inches of space between each cookie.
Bake in a 350-degree oven until golden brown on top, but still springy to the touch, about 13 to 14 minutes.
While cookies are baking, make icing: Melt butter. Add orange juice. Stir in sifted powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Add a few drops more orange juice if needed.
Remove from the oven and let cool. Top with icing. Store in a covered, air-tight container.
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Garden Checklist for week of Dec. 8
Make the most of dry weather while we have it this week. Rain is returning.
* Rake leaves away from storm drains and gutters. Recycle those leaves as mulch or add to compost.
* It’s not too late to plant something. Seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Trees and shrubs can be planted now, especially bare-root varieties such as fruit trees or rose bushes. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from winter rains.
* Plant bare-root berries, kiwifruit, grapes, artichokes, horseradish and rhubarb.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Brighten the holidays with winter bloomers such as poinsettias, amaryllis, calendulas, Iceland poppies, pansies and primroses.
* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location; bring them inside at night or if there’s rain.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while they’re dormant.
* Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing for the winter.
* Mulch, water and cover tender plants to protect them during threat of frost. Succulent plants are at particular risk if temperatures drop below freezing. Make sure to remove coverings during the day.
* Rake and remove dead leaves and stems from dormant perennials.
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