Persimmon Bread

A recipe by James Beard, on David Labovitz blog is something!  A decade ago, I did not know what a persimmon was, I almost mistook it for an exotic tomato. I was certainly missing something, it is one of my favorite fruits now.

Last week I got a lot of persimmon and if am not mistaken I think it is the Fuyu and unlike the Hachiya, it can be eaten when firm.  I wanted to bake a dessert with persimmon and after going back and forth with cake, pudding, bars and bread. 

 There was really nothing to think…I had all the ingredients, the outcome was amazing. we had it with coffee, we had it with mulled wine and we had it with maple syrup and crushed cloves. I did not change anything in the recipe. The amazing part of the recipe is that James Beard does not mention the exact amount of sugar for this recipe. David's suggestion, "Although I recommend using the higher amount of sugar, feel free to use whichever quantity you’d like…after all, you have permission from the granddaddy of all cooks, James Beard himself." I did not want to risk messing up with this recipe so I took exactly the same amount as David Lebovitz.

Using the higher amount of sugar will produce a moister and, of course, sweeter bread.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 to 2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted melted butter
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup Cognac, bourbon or whiskey
2 cups persimmon puree
2 cups walnuts or pecan, chopped
2 cups raisin, apricots, dates or cranberries.

Directions:
Butter 2 loaf pans. Line the bottoms with a piece of parchment paper or dust with flour and tap out any excess. 

Preheat oven to 350*F degrees.

Sift the first 5 dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center then stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, persimmon puree then the nuts and raisins.

Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I halved the recipe and it worked well.

 

Persimmon Rum Bread

 

                                                  Persimmon Rum Bread
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled
2 extra large or large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup spiced dark rum 

1 cup persimmon puree (i used 2 very ripe large fuyu 

   persimmons) 
1 cup pecans
1 cup or so dried fruit (i used a mix of chopped whole 

   dates, golden raisins, or regular raisins)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  I will try 325*F next time.

Grease and flour or line loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper.

Mix flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour mixture in a separate small bowl. Toss in the dried fruit in the reserved mixture, making sure to coat each piece well.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and then stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, persimmon puree, pecans and floured dried fruit (note: you want to add any leftover flour that the fruit was tossed in as well...waste not, want not!).

Mix the batter just until combined (having little streaks of flour is okay...don't over mix). Pour the batter into the loaf pan and then place the pan in the oven. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan before serving.

To make Persimmon Pulp:

Alway start with Fresh fruit washed under cold water after stem is removed to prevent collectying dirt.

Remove the stems and slice the persimmons in half. Using a spoon, scoop the seeds out of the persimmons. Place the seeded fruit into a blender and puree.

Thomas Hooke/Demand Media

Pour the persimmon puree into a sieve over a bowl and press the puree against the sieve with a spoon. The smooth puree will be pushed through the sieve.