Living in Northern California, it's easy to become completely enamored with persimmons. The Fuyus that we have access to poses an otherworldly creamy sweetness, which we eagerly put in everything from cakes to salads. It's difficult to break away from their siren song but it’s important to shake things up so we decided to play with their squishy brethren. <br /> <br />This recipe is inspired by the omnipresent Sicilian dessert that I could never quite get myself to fall in love with. A traditional cannoli is comprised of a thick, deep-fried shell and a nearly pasty filling that is thick with powdered sugar. Add your straight-from-the-jar maraschino cherry, heavy dusting of even more powdered sugar, and chalky, overly sweet chocolate chips, and you have a cloying gut bomb that will send you into a sugar crash so deep that no amount of espresso can save you. <br /> <br />This version, however, is pleasantly sweet and warmly spiced. The thin, crisp shell is a perfect way to showcase the filling (which is light and creamy unlike the aforementioned spackle). Instead of mounds of sugar, the sweetness comes from honey, the persimmons, and just a bit of brown sugar. <br /> <br />This recipe is sure to entice people on both of the cannoli fence - those who steer clear of the traditional and those who celebrate them. I checked in with my resident Italian, and he liked them so much he didn’t even complain about doing the dishes! Okay, maybe not, but he really did love them. <br />

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