Chewy persimmon and ginger cookies

makes / 36

110g unsalted butter, room temperature 1⁄2 cup caster sugar 1⁄2 tsp salt

1 egg

2 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon 1⁄2 tsp ground cloves 1⁄2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 heaped tbsp chopped crystallised ginger

1 cup raisins or dried currants 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

2 ripe Hachiya (soft) persimmons, peeled and pureed

1. Preheat oven to 180C or 170C fan-forced.

2. With an electric cake mixer, beat butter, sugar and salt until pale and fluffy. Add egg and beat until combined. Add half the flour and mix. Then add persimmon puree and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Add remaining flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.

3. Add raisins or currants, nuts and crystallised ginger, and mix until combined.

4. Drop heaped tablespoons of the batter on to a baking tray lined with parchment and bake for 12–14 minutes.

5. Cool on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container.