Have you ever tried a persimmon? It was my first time this year but let me just tell you they are easy to like!! This is a simple old fashioned gingerbread loaf recipe that can be made with or without the persimmons but the addition of seasonal fruit definitely takes the spice bread up a notch! Turns out persimmons and the spices that go into gingerbread make quite the seasonal pair.
Since I’d never tried persimmons before, I first tasted a a few slices and the fruit itself was so good it was tempting not to mix it in with a bread but I saved a few slices aside to snack on while baking then got to work.
A week or so later I picked up a few more persimmons at the store to just snack on or put over my weekday morning oats. If you’ve never had them before, make sure you get a ripe one, slightly tender to the touch and not to hard. If you do pick some that are hard, you can ripen them in a paper bag on the kitchen counter for a day or two. Check in after a day to see if the fruit is more soft to the touch, and if it is, it’s ready to be eaten or mixed up into a delicious gingerbread loaf.
If you have tasted persimmons before, how do you like your persimmons? Just by themselves, in bread, cookies?? Feel free to share your persimmon recipe ideas and links in the comments below!
Persimmon Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 persimmon, sliced and chopped
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup hot water
Instructions
- Beat butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar; beat well. Add molasses and egg; beat well.
- Combine flour and next four ingredients; add to butter mixture alternatively with water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mis at low speed after each addition.
- Pour batter into a lightly greases and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until wooden toothpick, inserted in center, comes out clean.
- Cool slightly in pan on a wire rack.
- Serve with whipped cream and extra slices of persimmons.
Persimmons are so pretty! I have never actually tried them, but I think this would be an ideal way to do it!
I’ve never had a persimmon either, gotta give them a try!
I never comment on blogs in general, but this one I simply have to. The best (and only, in my opinion) way to eat a persimmon is to fully ripen it to the point where you can poke a dent in it with a finger, just peel the skin with your hands, grab a spoon and eat the yummy soft goodness inside. I used to buy persimmons in bunches and wait for them to get soft and extra sweeter over the next few days. I’m really glad you’ve discovered the amazing world of persimmons! 🙂
I’m so glad to have discovered them too! I know I’ll be eating more just plain now that I know how delicious they are!
This recipe is delish!! The Cooley’s shared it with us and were equally delighted. It disappeared!
On the contrary, most Asians like not too ripen persimmons. When they are too ripen, you can dry them.
Great tip! Do you eat them plain or make something with them? I’d love to hear your ideas!
If persommons are from good crops, they will be sweet even though they are not ripen. You can eat them plain. We never tried to dry persimmons at our house but we bought them some. I am not much a fan of dried persimmons. But it is another way to preserve them. You can slide dried persimmons into pieces and eat them plain as well. Or you can use them to make another desserts. Persimmons can be dried the whole thing or slided into pieces before drying. You can google more!
I came to your blog from Food52. Did you know they are having a contest right now for “Your Best Persimmon Recipe”? You might want to enter this recipe. 🙂
thanks for the heads up Sharon! I’ll be sure and add my recipe in!