Carol’s Bourbon Persimmon Bread
My California friend Carol Worthington Levy came up with this delicious version of Bourbon Persimmon Bread, using persimmons grown in her own back yard. It’s modified from a recipe that originally appeared in Beard on Bread. Makes two 9-inch loaves.
Ingredients:
3 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 t salt
2 t baking soda
1 t ground nutmeg
1 t ground cinnamon
2 c sugar
1 c melted unsalted butter, cooled to room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature, slightly beaten
2/3 c bourbon (Carol probably used Jack Daniels, I’d go with Evan Williams)
2 c persimmon purée (from about 4 very ripe Hachiya persimmons)
2 c walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted and chopped
2 c raisins or other dried fruit
Method: butter two 9-inch loaf pans. Dust the pans with flour and shake out excess. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first six (dry) ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and stir in butter, eggs, bourbon, persimmon purée. Mix in nuts and dried fruit at the end. Pour into loaf pans then bake 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature or a little warmer. Slice in the pan or remove from pan before serving.
This wonderfully versatile bread is just as good hot or at room temperature, plain or with butter or other spread. You can even freeze it and thaw without sacrificing quality.
