James Beard's Persimmon Bread

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

Title: James Beard's Persimmon Bread
Categories: Favorite, Bread, Fruit, Liquor, Posted-mm
Yield: 4 Loaves

3 1/2 c Sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 ts Salt
2 ts Baking soda
1 ts Ground mace
2 c To 2 1/2 cups
-granulated sugar
1 c Butter, melted
4 lg Eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 c Cognac or bourbon
*REMY MARTIN Suzy's choice
2 c Persimmon puree (the pulp
Of about 4md. persimmons -
- not necessary to peel
2 c Coarsely chopped walnuts
-optional
2 c Raisins -optional

Source: Beard on Bread 1973

Sift all five dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Then
make a well in the center and add the melted butter,
egg, Cognac, persimmon puree, and if you like, the
nuts and raisins. Mix the dough until it is quite
smooth. smooth. Butter and flour four molds*, fill
them about three-fourths full,, and bake for 1 hr. at
350° F. Cool the loaves in the molds and turn out on a
rack.

NOTE: Wrap in foil after cooling if you wish to keep
them. They will keep nicely from 1 to 2 weeks.

Persimmons grow in many countries of the world, but
often, as in France, they are left hanging on the
trees. In this country (USA) we have learned to
appreciate their superb deep-orange color, their
shape, and their delicate flavor, and they are
becoming increasingly popular. In earlier times they
were allowed to ripen on the trees until dead ripe
before being eaten raw or used for puddings, cookies,
and breads. Nowadays they show up in our markets in a
firm state and must be left at room temperature for
several days or a week to ripen until they are almost
mushy.

This old recipe, sent to me by a dear friend from the
Middle West, makes a bread that is almost cakelike in
texture. Spread with good fresh butter, it is very
pleasant to eat along with a cup of tea or to use for
a cream-cheese Sandwich. It is unusual, rich, and
thoroughly delicious.

*Traditionally this bread is baked in four 1-pound
buttered and floured coffee cans, but you can use 3-
to 4-cup charlotte molds (my preference, (JB) round
Pyrex dishes, or round stainless steel bowls.

James Beard

Makes: [4 round leaves]

*I use Remy Martin and coffee cans as molds for gift
giving holiday time. This is a fabulous recipe!

Suzy

From the recipe files of suzy@gannett

-----