Low Fat Persimmon (or Banana) Bread

Every fall I begin my complete and total addiction to persimmons.  I can easily prchase 10-14 of them and have them polished off within a day or two (with a little help from R, of course).  I've been trying to keep a few around long enough to make something since October.  I finally hid a few away on top of the refrigerator and they managed to survive long enough to be included in this bread.

If you're a persimmon virgin, there are a few things (well, one thing really) you should be aware of.  In the US, persimmons come in two main variaties: the Fuyu and the Hachiya.  The Fuyu is a squat little thing, shaped like a tomato really, while the Hachiya looks more like an acorn or a heart.  But the differences are not just cosmetic.  The Fuyu can be eaten while still crisp, but you must wait for the Hachiya to ripen to a fully mushy state or the astringency will suck all of the moisture out of your mouth and you'll wonder what you ever did to that fruit to deserve such treatment.  Generally it seems, recipes calling for persimmons recommend the Hachiya, but I used well-ripened Fuyus for this and it was delicious!

This recipe is adapted from one on Recipe Zaar, which was originally written for banana bread.  I've made it with banana before and it's our go-to recipe for that.  R said he might like the persimmon version even better.  So either way, you can't go wrong and it comes together in a snap.  It doesn't taste low-fat, it tastes delicious (not that the two are mutually exclusive) and I really don't think you'll be disappointed.  

For persimmon pulp, all you need to do is scoop the guts out of the fruit.  But really, I wouldn't worry if a bit of the edible peel finds its way into the batter.  A few swirls of sunset-orange persimmon peel never hurt anyone!

Low Fat Persimmon (or Banana!) Bread

Dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar (you can add more if you'd like a sweeter bread)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt 

Insides of 3 ripe persimmons, mashed (about 3/4 cup)

2 tablespoons oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Oven preheated to 350

Lightly grease your bread pan (any size really will work, but you may have to adjust baking times.  My pan is about 9 x 5").

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix gently, taking care not to overmix.

Spread the batter into your prepared baking pan.  Bake for about 35 - 40 minutes, depending on the size of your pan and the temperature of your oven (as some run hot, and some run cold).  Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then to cool completely on a rack.  Serve and devour!  

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I just realized that I forgot to include the 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt in the recipe.  I've corrected the error above.