Today, I turned thirty.
This is a milestone birthday that always felt very very far in the future. I always felt like thirty was supposed to be for adults, no? And what am I? Most definitely not an adult. For proof: I still can’t spell definitely without spell check.
Every year on my birthday, I like to reflect on what I have done and accomplished over the course of the previous year and also make my own birthday cake and/or desserts. The latter is because I usually want something specific, like chocolate hazelnut semifreddo. Like a persimmon tart.
Before we get into desserts, let’s talk about accomplishments. Being a data person, these can’t be mere observations. I like cold hard facts (just like I did at 27, 28, and 29).
- Books read: 18. Up from last year, but still pretty low. I blame my lack of reading on immediately passing out every night while my eyes roll over a paragraph. {Source: Goodreads}
- Trips taken: 2. Well I guess this doesn’t come as a surprise. {Source: TripIt}
- Miles walked: 1318.61, and that’s with at least three weeks of missing data from when I lost the FitBit. {Source: FitBit}
- Blog posts posted: 139. {Source: WordPress}
- Job changes: 1. I wrote all about it.
- Surgeries: 0. Breaking that four year streak, pretty good stuff.
- New semi-functional humans created: 1.
With all that logged for future reference, let’s talk about persimmons. It’s hard for me to accurately describe a persimmon’s taste—it’s somewhere between an apricot crossed with a tomato crossed with a mango or orange. I can’t pinpoint it, maybe because it’s something all it’s own, but it certainly tastes fruity, and pairs perfectly with a little ginger, honey, and vanilla.
All that, mixed with ricotta and smothered on top of a puff pastry dough makes for a really simple and enjoyable dessert (or breakfast, because it has fruit on it, so obviously you can eat it for breakfast).
So what is thirty?
Lots of espresso, a job I love, a perpetually stiff lower back, two pretty great roommates, and persimmon tart.
- ½ cup ricotta full fat ricotta
- 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 persimmons, sliced thinly on a mandolin
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, yogurt, honey, ginger, and vanilla extract.
- Spread puff pastry onto a baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, score a ½ inch border around the sides to make an edge. Be careful not to cut all the way through the dough.
- Spread ricotta mixture evenly inside the border of the puff pastry.
- Start by placing persimmons along one edge of the pastry (within the border), overlapping by almost ½. Weave rows back and forth until pastry dough is covered.
- Place pieces of butter evenly on top of persimmons, then sprinkle sugar on top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until pastry dough is golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving
That sounds fabulous! And Happy Birthday! I had the same feelings about turning 50. WHAT? I’m not old. No I am not. ;0
writes AngieYeah, the decade birthdays are brutal! Not 10 or 20, but from here on out…
writes VickyHope you had a wonderful birthday! It had to have been pretty great if this tart was involved, it looks and sounds sooo delicious!
writes Jordan