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Light and creamy, this Honey Yogurt Persimmon Tart features the perfect combination of flavors – ripe persimmons turned into a puree with honey and a cheesecake-like filling with a light vanilla flavor.

A slice of a honey yogurt persimmon tart with a fork cutting a bite off

A Light & Creamy Dessert

This Honey Yogurt Persimmon Tart makes the perfect fall dessert. It’s slightly sweet but not too heavy, made with perfectly ripe persimmons.

The trick when working with a mild ingredient like persimmon is to not overdo it with the other flavors. In this case, the honey in the persimmon puree is more than enough for the recipe.

There’s no need to add it into the whipped yogurt mousse. It’s just enough to taste the subtle flavor and appreciate it but not allow it to overpower the also sweet persimmons.

This honey yogurt persimmon tart begins with a simple homemade crust, which is then topped with a 3 ingredient persimmon puree (one of those ingredients is water!), then a layer of yogurt mousse.

The yogurt filling uses gelatin to keep it light, fluffy, and creamy, giving it an almost cheesecake-like texture that melts in your mouth!

Overhead view of a honey yogurt persimmon tart

What Are Persimmons?

Persimmons are a fruit that looks very similar to tomatoes but is actually a berry that grows on a tree. They can range anywhere from yellow to red in color and have a sweet, mild, honey-like flavor when they’re ripe.

You can eat persimmons like any other fruit and bite into them raw (though I don’t recommend this unless they’re ripe! Unripe persimmons are very bitter!) but they can also be used in a variety of recipes, like today’s tart recipe.

The Different Types Of Persimmon

There are two types of persimmons. You have ones with flat bottoms, which are very firm. These are most often eaten raw. This is the variety I used for today’s tart.

Then there are ones that look more oval in shape. These are super soft with an almost liquefied center. This type of persimmon is actually best for baking if you can find it.

I have a hard time locating this variety which is why I chose to use the firm ones. I just cooked the persimmons down with water and honey to get them tender enough to puree.

What You’ll Need

Each part of this persimmon tart recipe requires just a few ingredients, most of which are pantry staples. If you have persimmons and gelatin in your pantry, you likely have everything you need to make this sweet dessert.

All-purpose flour
Unsalted butter – Buter should be cold and cut into pieces.
Light brown sugar
Egg – The egg should be at room temperature and lightly beaten.
Salt
Persimmons – Be sure to use ripe persimmons, peeled and cut into cubes.
Honey – Adds the honey flavor throughout the tart.
Water
Unflavored gelatin powder – Helps keep the filling stable and gives it an almost cheesecake-like texture.
Heavy cream – Makes the filling nice and creamy.
Greek yogurt – You’ll want plain, full fat Greek yogurt.
Vanilla extract – Adds a light flavor to the filling.

How to Make Honey Yogurt Persimmon Tart

Be sure to make this persimmon recipe several hours before you intend to eat it, as it does need to chill for at least 4 hours.

Pie crust ingredients in a food processor

Pie crust dough pressed into the sides and bottom of a round pan

Make the crust. Combine all ingredients in the food processor, pulsing until the mixture is in large clumps. Transfer to a springform pan and press onto the bottom and 2 inches up the sides. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

*You can use any pan with a removable rim like a tart pan.

Make the puree. Remove the top of the persimmons and cut the fruit into cubes.

Boil the persimmons, honey, and water. Reduce to medium and cook until the persimmons are soft and the liquid has thickened. Use an immersion blender to pulse the mixture into a puree.

Bake the crust. Prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork and line with aluminum foil. Fill the pie crust with weights and bake. Remove the weights and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and dry.

Make the filling. Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water. Stir and let it sit until the gelatin softens. Heat heavy cream and stir in the gelatin until smooth and free of clumps.

Whisk in the yogurt and vanilla. Beat the remaining heavy cream to soft peaks then fold the yogurt mixture into the cream.

A dollop of yogurt mousse on top of persimmon puree

Dollops of persimmon puree on top of a layer of Greek yogurt

Assemble the tart. Spread half of the persimmon puree across the bottom of the cooled crust. Pour the yogurt filling on top.

Drop small spoonfuls of the remaining puree over the top. Swirl it around with a butter knife.

Chill. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Just before serving you can layer fresh persimmon slices over the top of the tart.

Tips for Success

Here are a few notes of things I’ve found helpful when making this honey yogurt tart.

Press the crust in an even layer. Use a round measuring cup to firmly press the dough into a flat even layer. If the crust puffs up, you can use a measuring cup to press it back down.
Use a graham cracker crust. If you’d prefer to use a graham cracker crust for your tart, you can do that – it does taste delicious! Follow the instruction in the graham cracker crust recipe preparation and baking.
Use brandy instead of water. For even more flavor in the persimmon puree, use brandy instead of honey. The alcohol cooks out but will leave you with a flavor that pairs perfectly with the honey and persimmons.
Use real vanilla. It’s important to use pure vanilla extract and not imitation vanilla for this recipe. Since the other flavors are so mild, using imitation vanilla can really give this dessert a different flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Keep the honey yogurt persimmon tart in the fridge until it’s time to serve. Then cut into slices and serve, like you would a pie. With the yogurt filling, there’s no need to add anything extra as a topping. Just slice and enjoy!

How to Store Leftovers

Your persimmon tart will last in the fridge for up to 2 days when covered tightly. I do not recommend trying to freeze the tart as the yogurt and gelatin filling will not freeze well.

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