Wild Persimmon and Hickory Nut Bread Recipe
Ingredients
| Butter | 14 Tablespoon, softened | |
| Unsifted flour - 4 tablespoons plus 2 cups | ||
| Baking soda | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Salt | 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| Persimmons | 1 pound | |
| Sugar | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Eggs | 2 | |
| Hickory nuts - 1 cup, coarsely chopped | ||
Directions
GETTING READY
1. Preheat the oven to 325°.
2. Take two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans and spread 2 tablespoons of the softened butter over the bottom and sides of the pans using a pastry brush.
3. To each pan add 2 tablespoons of the flour and tip the pan back and forth to distribute the flour evenly.
4. Invert the pans and rap them sharply on the bottoms to remove the excess flour.
MAKING
5. Sift together combining the 2 cups of flour, the baking soda and salt onto a plate or sheet of wax paper and set aside.
6. To prepare the persimmons wash them gently under cold running water and let them drain in a colander.
7. With a small sharp knife, cut them into quarters and pick out the seeds.
8. Set a food mill over a bowl and puree the persimmons through or rub them through a coarse sieve with the back of a spoon and collect about 1 cup of pureed fruit.
9. In a deep bowl, cream the remaining 12 tablespoons of softened butter and the sugar by beating and mashing them against the sides of the bowl with the back of a spoon until light and fluffy.
10. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and add 1 cup of the flour mixture.
11. When it is thoroughly incorporated, beat in about 1/2 cup of the pureed fruit.
12. Add the remaining 1 cup of the flour mixture and then the rest of the puree, beating well after each addition and stir in the hickory nuts.
13. Into the two buttered-and-floured pans, pour the batter dividing it equally between them and spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula.
14. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 1 hour until the loaves begin to shrink away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean.
FINALIZING
15. Turn the loaves out on wire racks to cool.
SERVING
16. Serve the bread warm or at room temperature.
1. Preheat the oven to 325°.
2. Take two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans and spread 2 tablespoons of the softened butter over the bottom and sides of the pans using a pastry brush.
3. To each pan add 2 tablespoons of the flour and tip the pan back and forth to distribute the flour evenly.
4. Invert the pans and rap them sharply on the bottoms to remove the excess flour.
MAKING
5. Sift together combining the 2 cups of flour, the baking soda and salt onto a plate or sheet of wax paper and set aside.
6. To prepare the persimmons wash them gently under cold running water and let them drain in a colander.
7. With a small sharp knife, cut them into quarters and pick out the seeds.
8. Set a food mill over a bowl and puree the persimmons through or rub them through a coarse sieve with the back of a spoon and collect about 1 cup of pureed fruit.
9. In a deep bowl, cream the remaining 12 tablespoons of softened butter and the sugar by beating and mashing them against the sides of the bowl with the back of a spoon until light and fluffy.
10. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and add 1 cup of the flour mixture.
11. When it is thoroughly incorporated, beat in about 1/2 cup of the pureed fruit.
12. Add the remaining 1 cup of the flour mixture and then the rest of the puree, beating well after each addition and stir in the hickory nuts.
13. Into the two buttered-and-floured pans, pour the batter dividing it equally between them and spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula.
14. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 1 hour until the loaves begin to shrink away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean.
FINALIZING
15. Turn the loaves out on wire racks to cool.
SERVING
16. Serve the bread warm or at room temperature.
Chef
