Spicy Japanese Persimmon Bread

Chez Jonny's Note:

This recipe is my own nod to Fall, combining both Japanese ingredients and metaphors for the season together with our traditional Western craving for sweet things during the Holidays.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 16-20

Yield: 2.0 loaves

• 2 cups japanese persimmons, pulp (kaki, 6 blended persimmons with a little water)
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large egg whites (or 3 large egg replacer for 2 eggs)
• 1 1/4 cups applesauce
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (can be omitted)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Beat egg whites or replacer, add to pulp, then add liquids.
3. Mix dry ingredients into pulp mixture, add raisins and almond slivers.
4. Pour batter into two well buttered, powdered loaf pans or one bundt pan.
5. Bake loaves for about one hour or until done.

Reviews

[Joseph Borges]

This is nice, the cardamom gives it a different twist that I enjoyed. Mine was done at 45 mins.

[Je see ka]

this was pretty delicious! the only thing that bothered me was that i couldn't really taste the persimmons. but it was still yummy, thanks!

[realbirdlady]

A very nice recipe. The proportions of spices and fruits are balanced to bring out the best taste of each one. (I wouldn't have titled it "spicy" - there's no awareness of strong added flavors.) With no oil or butter, and relatively a lot of eggs, the texture is airy and firm. I have adopted some variations, just to better match ingredients that I typically have at hand - north american persimmons, mashed pulp and skins, whole egg, and banana in place of apple sauce. Currants in place of raisins also works well.