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Persimmon Bread

(recipe, Katie Hickey)

Introduction

I love this persimmon bread- it tastes purely of persimmon, bourbon and fall. The texture is great (like banana bread), and it freezes beautifully. You can make it with all whole wheat pastry flour or with half white/half whole wheat pastry or all white flour. The higher amount of sugar will yield a moister bread. I honestly can't remember which amount I used when I first made it (probably the lower amount, and it was plenty moist)- try both and update this note later!

Ingredients

  1. 3½ cups sifted flour ( try all whole wheat pastry or half all purpose flour and half white whole wheat/whole wheat pastry flour)
  2. 1½ tsp. salt
  3. 2 tsp. baking soda
  4. 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
  5. 2 to 2½ cups sugar
  6. 1 cup melted unsalted butter and cooled to room temperature
  7. 4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
  8. ⅔ cup cognac, bourbon or whiskey
  9. 2 cups persimmon puree (from about 4 squishy-soft Hachiya persimmons)
  10. 2 cups walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
  11. 2 cups raisins, or diced dried fruits (such as apricots, cranberries, or dates) (I originally used a mixture of black and gold raisins, but I'd love to try it with other fruits)

Steps

  1. 1. Butter 2 loaf pans. Line the bottoms with a piece of parchment paper or dust with flour and tap out any excess.
  2. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. 3. Sift the first 5 dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  4. 4. Make a well in the center then stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, persimmon puree then the nuts and raisins.
  5. 5. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Storage: Will keep for about a week, if well-wrapped, at room temperature. The Persimmon Breads take well to being frozen, too.