Candle Persimmons
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Candle persimmons vary in shape and size, depending on the fruit’s growing environment, and average 40 to 50 grams in weight at harvest. The fruits can be round to conical in shape with an elongated, tapered appearance, and have smooth, uniform, and curved edges. Each fruit is topped with waxy, firm, and fibrous green-brown leaves, and the skin is thin, smooth, glossy, and taut, showcasing red-orange hues. Underneath the surface, the pale orange flesh is dense and hard when unripe, becoming softer with an aqueous, succulent, and jam-like consistency when ripe. Candle persimmons are also known for their seedless nature, making them a prized cultivar for easy consumption. The variety is edible once ripe and has a rich, sweet, sometimes sugary flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Candle persimmons are available in the fall and winter, typically harvested around October and November.
Current Facts
Candle persimmons, botanically classified as Diospyros kaki, are a sweet variety belonging to the Ebenaceae family. The fruits grow on deciduous trees reaching 7 to 9 meters in height and are a seedless, non-astringent cultivar favored for its productivity, frost-hardiness, and resistance to diseases and pests. Candle persimmons are known as Svechka persimmons in Russian, which is the word for “candle.” The variety acquired this moniker due to its elongated, tapered shape, which resembles a candle. In Central Asia, Candle persimmons are said to be a type of kinglet persimmon, which is a category of fruits valued for their sweet, soft flesh. The non-astringent persimmons have lower levels of soluble tannins, allowing them to be eaten once pollinated and ripe. Pollinated fruits develop brown speckling in the flesh, and the amount varies per fruit, based on growing conditions. Candle persimmons are a specialty type, challenging to find in commercial markets. The variety is relatively unknown outside of Central Asia and is seasonally sold as a versatile fruit utilized for fresh eating, cooking, and drying.
Nutritional Value
Candle persimmons are a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract and vitamins A, B, C, and E. These vitamins maintain healthy organs, strengthen the immune system, guard the cells against free radical damage, and contribute to energy production. Persimmons also provide minerals in varying quantities, including calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese. These minerals help the body support bone and tooth development, balance fluid levels, produce the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, build red blood cells, and control daily nerve functions.
Applications
Candle persimmons have a sweet, subtly astringent taste suited for raw, cooked, and dried preparations. When ripe, the fruit can be eaten out of hand and is favored for its jam-like consistency and seedless nature. Ripe persimmons are also commonly chopped into dips and condiments, sliced into salads, mixed into grain bowls, or added to fruit medleys. Candle persimmons are sometimes layered over toast or served on cheese boards as a colorful, sweet element. Beyond fresh preparations, Candle persimmons are also cooked to create rich sauces for meat main dishes. The fruits are also simmered into jam, jellies, and preserves or cooked into puddings and custards. While less common, persimmons are sometimes blended and frozen in homemade sorbets and granitas. Try combining persimmons into fillings for pastries or baking them into bread, cakes, pies, and tarts. In Central Asia, the variety is added to rice dishes or is dried whole for extended use. Candle persimmons are favored for drying as they are seedless, making an edible, chewy snack without needing to remove inedible portions. Dried persimmons are sliced and folded into trail mix, served with roasted meats, added to salads, or baked into bars and granola. Candle persimmons pair well with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, flavorings, including honey, vanilla, and maple syrup, cheeses such as cheddar, goat, and parmesan, citrus, apples, and cranberries. Whole, unwashed Candle persimmons will keep for a few days to weeks when stored in a cool, dry, and dark location.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Central Asia, persimmons are valued for their iodine content. Many communities within this region are descendants of nomadic tribes that largely follow a diet centered around the ability to transport food. The landlocked regions are also low in iodine in the water and soil, leading to iodine deficiencies. Low iodine diets can create a hormonal imbalance and issues with the thyroid. Persimmons, such as the Candle variety, are a source of iodine and other essential vitamins that help support thyroid health. The fruits can also be dried for extended use, retaining most of their nutritional properties, including iodine. This allows communities to carry dried fruits with them on longer journeys and consume them throughout the year to maintain a balanced body and thyroid function.
Geography/History
Candle persimmons are descendants of persimmon varieties native to regions of China. Persimmons, in general, have been growing wild since ancient times and were extensively cultivated throughout history as a fresh market crop. Over time, persimmon varieties expanded to other regions of East Asia, notably Japan and Korea, via trade routes, and continued to spread across the continent into Central Asia. After their introduction, persimmons were planted by commercial and home growers in Central Asia, where new varieties naturally evolved and appeared through selective breeding. Today, Candle persimmons are primarily localized to Central Asia and are grown in countries such as Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Russia. These fruits are often exported to Kazakhstan and other neighboring countries. Candle persimmons are also grown in home gardens. When in season, Candle persimmons are sold through local markets and select retailers. The Candle persimmons featured in the photograph above were found at a local food fair in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Candle Persimmons for sale around the world shared on the Specialty Produce App
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