One of My New Favorite Holiday Recipes

I am a foodie to the core and am always on the hunt for seasonal inspirations. I absolutely LOVE persimmons, the lovely bright orange fruit that is available in the late fall and early winter. A friend recently gave me a bunch of Hachiya persimmons (which are best for baking BTW) and my search on the Internet lead me to this divine seasonal treat, James Beard’s Persimmon Bread Recipe–Simply divine 🙂 Enjoy and let me know what you think by sharing comments in this post.

Persimmon Bread

Adapted from Beard on Bread by James Beard.

3½ cups sifted flour
1½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 to 2½ cups sugar
1 cup melted unsalted butter and cooled to room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2/3 cup Cognac, Bourbon or Whiskey
2 cups persimmon puree (from about 4 squishy-soft Hachiya persimmons)
2 cups walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
2 cups raisins, or diced dried fruits (such as apricots, cranberries, or dates)

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

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Sift the first 5 dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

4. Make a well in the center then stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, persimmon puree then the nuts and raisins.

5. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

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

Storage: Will keep for about a week, if well-wrapped, at room temperature. The Persimmon Breads take well to being frozen, too. Makes two 9-inch loaves.