Persimmon Bread

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

As part of the Christmas celebration, I'm making persimmon bread. This is not really part of the Christmas feast but rather more of an everyday snack for my nieces and nephew and well, a treat for me. The baking part is what I'm really interested in but given that the recipe I'm using is from Dave Lebovitz, then I'm really excited to try this one out. 

Hachiya Persimmon with Asian Pears
Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs 

If you read my post about persimmon, I mentioned that I am partial to the Jiro persimmon as my favorite to eat as a fruit and I was lucky since the Hachiya variety is actually not suited to be eaten as such. The latter has to be really ripe due to its more abundant amount of tannin so it has to ripen to mellow out the astringent flavor of the unripe fruit. It is thus better suited for cooking. The Jiro variety on the other hand is best suited to be eaten as a fruit and as an ingredient in salads even when not fully ripe. 

The recipe is adapted by Dave Levobitz from James Beard and I'm writing it down again with the ingredients I chose for my version. I'm really giddy with excitement because the fruit by itself tastes really good so my expectations are a bit high for this sweet bread. I'm quite lucky that the store me and my cousin went to had large Hachiya persimmon and they were very much ripe which makes them perfect for baking. It is also good that my cousin is willing to try my culinary experiments although I'm quite sure that she will love this too since she loves persimmons as well.

Persimmon Bread - Adapted*

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

3½ cups flour, sifted 

1½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 to 2½ cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, 
   melted and cooled to 
   room temperature
4 large eggs, at room 
   temperature, lightly 
   beaten
2/3 cup Black Velvet 
   Canadian Whiskey
2 cups persimmon puree 
   (from peeled squishy-soft Hachiya persimmons)
2 cups walnuts, chopped
2 cups dates

1. Butter 2 9x5 loaf pans and dust with flour and tap out any excess. Preheat 

    oven to 350°F.

2. Sift the first 5 dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the 

    center and stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, and persimmon puree. Mix
    well. Add the nuts and raisins and mix until just incorporated.

3. Divide batter into the prepared pans and bake for 1 hour or until 

    toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Note: The breads will keep for about a week, if well-wrapped, at room temperature. They take well to being frozen, too.

*Persimmon Bread: Dave Levobitz blog