This recipe takes cookie making a few steps beyond the usual by including spices that are traditionally used to make Five Spice Powder, in Chinese cooking, and combining them with, the often overlooked fruits, persimmons and mulberries then adding, a perennial favorite cookie ingredient, pecans to the mix.

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Ingredients

 

2 Cups White Flour (you can experiment with other flours,however avoid the heavier flours)

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Fair Trade Organic Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Freshly Ground Sea Salt

1 1/2 Cups Firmly Packed Fair Trade Organic Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Vegetable Shortening

1/4 Cup Milk, Soy Milk, Hemp Milk, Almond Milk (Your Choice of 1)

1/2 tsp Ground Fair Trade Organic Fennel

1/2 tsp Ground Fair Trade Organic Anise

1/2 tsp Ground Fair Trade Organic Ginger

1/4 tsp Fair Trade Organic Ground Cloves

1 Free Range Chicken Egg or Equivalent Baking Egg Substitute (I prefer real eggs)

2 Cups Finely Chopped Locally Grown or Fair Trade Organic Persimmons

1 Cup Chopped Locally Grown or Fair Trade Organic Pecans

1 Cup Dried Fair Trade Organic Mulberries (do not rehydrate)

1/2 tsp Ground Fair Trade Organic Licorice Root (optional, will bring out anise and fennel more)

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Preparation   

Preheat oven to 400F/200C degrees.

Sift flour, soda, spices and salt together and set aside.

Beat shortening, sugar and egg. Stir in flour mixture alternating with persimmons and milk. Stir in pecans and mulberries. Drop on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes until golden brown.

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Even though these fresh mulberries look very appealing use dried mulberries for this recipe as they will not breakdown into mush and the fresh ones will.  Fresh mulberries are suited for muffins, but not for cookies.

Tips

With the spices, except the salt, you may use the equivalent amount of a Fair Trade Organic Pre-made Five Spice Powder, which would be about 3 and 1/8 or 3 and ¼ teaspoons.

 

Dried Persimmons may be used in lieu of fresh, however cut them into raisin size pieces and be careful that they do not clump together in the cookie dough. This will make an extremely sweeter cookie, fresh is better as the flavor will be subtler.

Author’s note:  I am constantly amazed at the beauty, flavor, and versatility of the persimmon.  If you have not tried this fruit you need to do so.

 

 

Related Links

 

Jicama Mace Pancakes With Avocado Raisin Sauce

Strangely and Subtly Spiced Carrot Soup

Cashew Szechwan Chicken or Cashew Szechwan Meatless Chicken

Sausage Chowder and Meatless Sausage Chowder

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