Gotgam Danji (Stuffed Dried Persimmons) with Roasted Walnuts and Cinnamon
An elegant traditional dessert made by stuffing dried persimmons with roasted nuts, cinnamon, and honey.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This snack combines sweet, chewy dried persimmon with roasted walnuts and ground cinnamon for a rich, nutty flavor. Scooping out the dried persimmon pulp, mixing it with the nuts, packing it firmly back in, and letting it firm up briefly in the freezer allows you to slice it neatly without losing its shape. It is perfect for using up leftover dried persimmons after the holidays or preparing as a thoughtful homemade gift.
- Servings
- about 5–7 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
- Dried persimmon (gotgam)7
- Walnuts (or almonds, chestnuts, pine nuts, peanuts, etc.)200 g
- Ground cinnamon1/2 tsp
- Honey (or yuzu marmalade (yuja-cheong), corn syrup (mulyeot), etc.)1 tbsp
- Dried persimmon pulp
- Salt2 pinches
- Soft semi-dried persimmons (bangeonsi) work well, and instead of walnuts, you can use whatever you have on hand, such as almonds, chestnuts, or peanuts.
- Finely chopped jujubes are also great to mix in with the nuts.
- You can use yuja syrup (yuja-cheong) or corn syrup (mulyeot) instead of honey.
Steps
Prepare the walnuts
Toasting the walnuts lightly in a dry pan or an air fryer removes any off-flavors and brings out their nutty richness, so please toast them before using.
Let them cool, then chop them finely with a food processor or knife.
The finer the pieces, the better they will stick together, so it is best to chop them finely.
Prepare the dried persimmons
Cut off the tops of the dried persimmons, remove the seeds inside, and scoop out the pulp.
We will use the scooped-out dried persimmon pulp as well. This pulp helps the filling stick together, so scrape out as much as you can without wasting any.
Make the dried persimmon filling
Add the chopped walnuts, dried persimmon pulp, honey, ground cinnamon, and about two pinches of salt, then mix well.
A bit of honey goes in for flavor and to help bind the ingredients.
Because adding too much honey makes it overly sweet alongside the naturally sweet persimmon, I added a tiny bit of salt to enhance the sweetness.
Mix thoroughly, taste, and add more honey according to your preference. Yuja syrup or corn syrup works well instead of honey too.
Stuff the dried persimmons
Carefully pack the prepared filling tightly into the dried persimmons.
Press down firmly as you fill them, because if they are not packed tightly, they may crumble when sliced.
If you get greedy and overfill them, the dried persimmons may burst, so fill them in moderation.
Once they are completely stuffed, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, which makes them convenient to take out and eat one by one.
Place them in a container, let them firm up in the freezer for about 2 hours, and then slice them.
Ppunwife's tips
- Toasting the walnuts lightly in a dry pan or an air fryer removes off-flavors and brings out their nutty richness.
- The finer the pieces, the better they hold together, so it is best to chop them finely.
- The dried persimmon pulp helps the filling stick together, so scrape out as much as you can without wasting any.
- If you do not pack them firmly, they may crumble when sliced, so press down tightly as you fill them.
- If you overfill them out of greed, the dried persimmons may burst, so fill them in moderation.
- If you make a large batch and wrap them individually, you can store them in the freezer, thaw them in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, and slice them to serve.
FAQ
Can I use other nuts instead of walnuts?
Besides walnuts, you can freely use whatever nuts you have at home, such as almonds, chestnuts, peanuts, or pine nuts, and mixing in finely chopped jujubes is also great.
What can I substitute if I don't have honey?
You can use yuja syrup (yuja-cheong) or corn syrup (mulyeot) instead of honey for sweetness and binding.
How should I store and serve stuffed dried persimmons?
Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze them, then take them out, let them thaw in the refrigerator for about 1 to 2 hours, and slice them into nice bite-sized rounds to serve.
Is there anything to keep in mind when stuffing the persimmons?
You must press the filling down firmly so it does not crumble when sliced, and avoid overfilling so the dried persimmon does not burst.
