Persimmon Walnut Bread

 
Persimmons are an often overlooked fruit which are 
much like mangoes in texture. The trick with 
persimmons is that they need to be very ripe; wait to 
use them until they are slithery and almost mushy. 

This recipe is taken from Baking in America by Greg 
Patent. The book is a collection of recipes covering 
the history of baking from 1796 to the current day. 
Greg Patent spoke about baking on WBUR's Here and Now on March 12, 2003 




Ingredients

6 fully ripe Hachiya persimmons (about 2 pounds)
3 cups walnut halves or large pieces (about 12 ounces)
3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder, preferably nonaluminum
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled






Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 375 
degrees.  Butter two 8½ x 4½ x 2¾ loaf pans; set aside.


2. Pull the stems off the persimmons and cut each fruit lengthwise in half. With a 
teaspoon or grapefruit spoon, scoop the pulp out into a bowl.  Use a pastry 
blender or a potato masher to chop or mash the pulp into small pieces; you 
should still have some pieces of persimmon mixed with the pureed pulp.  
Measure 2 cups and set aside.  Eat any leftovers or reserve for another use.


3. Toast the walnuts in a shallow baking pan until fragrant, stirring once or twice, 
6 to 8 minutes.  Let cool completely.


4. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together; set aside.


5. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until thoroughly combined and slightly frothy.  
Add both sugars and beat in thoroughly with a whisk. Whisk in the butter.  Stir 
in the persimmon pulp and walnuts with a rubber spatula.  Add the flour 
mixture and stir only until the batter is smooth. Divide the batter between the 
prepared pans and smooth the tops.


6. Bake for about an hour and 5 minutes, until the loaves are well browned and 
a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  The loaves will be quite 
dark, especially on the edges, but if they start to brown too much before they 
are done, lay a piece of aluminum foil, shiny side up, loosely on top during the 
last 30 minutes or so of baking.


7. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  Run a small sharp knife 
around the sides to release the loaves, and carefully unmold them.  Set them 
right side up on a rock to cool completely.  Wrap airtight.  The loaves can be 
frozen for up to 2 months.