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!  

*     *     *

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

Comments

Vera said…
I share your addiction, Andrea! Aren't they amazing! The cake looks delicious! I love how moist it is.
Esi said…
I love persimmon bread! My mom makes it all the time. I am so excited to go home in a couple of days and have some because yours is making me hungry!
Becka Robinson said…
Oooo...I've been wondering what to do with Persimmons!
Dana Treat said…
I, who love almost every kind of fruit or vegetable, have never had a persimmon. I think I get intimidated by the difference between the two and when each one can be eaten. Dumb, huh? I will follow your advice.
Anonymous said…
My wife, Dr. E. (a medical doctor) love persimmon bread.

On our Arkansas horse farm, we have several persimmon trees, and they provide us with TONS of persimmons.

Thanks for your ideas.
Becka Robinson said…
I didn't know that about persimmons. Apparently I'm a virgin. ;)
Anonymous said…
Persimmons are the prettiest fruit out there. I'm thinking about planting a tree in my backyard. I've only ever eaten them fresh. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It gives me a great excuse to buy more persimmons.
You know I share your addiction too! This looks great. My dad said he picked the last of the persimmons recently. Need to get in there and make some bread!
Anonymous said…
In the US, they come in three varieties, actually. There are the Hachiya and Fuyu varieties that you find in stores, and these are Japanese. The ones you find growing wild can't be found in stores, and are in my opinion the most wonderful tasting. These are native American trees, the American Persimmon, and if you're lucky enough to live close to one or several, you should definitely go out after the first frost and pick a few and try this recipe out.
Andrea said…
Vera, the cake is very moist and although my fiance loves it, at the end of the day, I still go for the fresh fruit first.

Esi, Lucky you! Enjoy!

Miss Marie, there's also persimmon pudding which I've seen popping up a bit.

Dana, you MUST find a persimmon and eat it right away. Right away. It will be a revelation.

DocChuck, I'm so jealous! Someday I will have a persimmon tree, it's decided. I wonder if you have the American Persimmon that Jeff references below. If so, it appears that you are indeed very, very lucky.

Willi, sounds like you should seek out the American variety if at all possible!

Jeff, thanks for the info! Now I know what kind of tree to look for when I achieve my dream orchard ;-)
Lael Meidal said…
I love persimmons and this bread sounds absolutely delicious! When they come into season I'll come back to this recipe...and make sure to leave those beautiful persimmon peels in to pretty-up each slice. Thanks for sharing!
Olga said…
I jsut got a bag of ripe, but not overly sweet persimmons. I might just make this tonight in a muffin form! Thanks :)
Olga said…
Hi,
Wanted to let you know I've made this recipe into muffins and really enjoyed them!!!
Thank you.

I posted my version of the recipe on my blog.
Syd said…
I just made this bread last night and added walnuts and raisins! It was really good! Thanks for posting a recipe that uses fuyus for baking. I have a million and am running out of ways to eat them.
Mina said…
This looks absolutely fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
Unknown said…
Just made this with macadamia nuts and used half persimmon and half banana SOOO GOOD

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