Spiced Persimmon Muffins
With apples, pears and cranberries in the spotlight, persimmons are one of the most overlooked fruits of fall. Rich and sweet, they are a delightful treat. Bright and shiny, they are spectacular enough as a centerpiece for Thanksgiving.
There are a couple different varieties of persimmons in the U.S. The Fuyu is pale orange and has a firm, apple-like texture. The Hachiya, when ripe, is soft, sweet and intensely orange. Both are usually eaten without their skin.
This recipe uses both types of persimmons. The Hachiya keeps these muffins moist. The Fuyu, cut into small pieces, adds nice texture. These muffins also have cranberries that give a chewy bite and some pecans that add crunch.
These muffins are enhanced with a variety of warm spices–cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and fresh ginger. They are deep and rich without being overpowering.
The recipe calls for some whole wheat pastry flour, which adds a nutty flavor. Whole wheat flour can make the pastry a bit tough, but the buttermilk and canola oil fix that problem. The result is a really moist and tender batter.
I hope this recipe will inspire you to pick up a few persimmons at your market. Make these for a family brunch or an afternoon picnic. A bite of these treats will give you all of fall’s flavors and warmth.
Spiced Persimmon Muffins
Adapted from National Public Radio
- All-purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups
- Whole wheat pastry flour, 1 cup
- Brown sugar, 1/2 cup
- Baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Salt, 1 teaspoon
- Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
- Nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon
- Cloves, a couple of pinches
- Eggs, 2 large, lightly beaten
- Buttermilk, 1 cup
- Canola oil, 1/4 cup
- Honey, 1/3 cup
- Freshly-grated ginger, 2 teaspoons
- Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
- Hachiya persimmon, the pulp of 1 very ripe fruit (about 1/3 cup)
- Fuyu persimmon, peeled and diced, 1 cup (from about 2 fruits)
- Dried cranberries, coarsely chopped, 1/2 cup
- Pecan, coarsely chopped, 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons for sprinkling on top of the muffins
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12-mold regular size muffin pan.
In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil and honey. Add ginger and vanilla.
Holding the Hachiya persimmon over a bowl, remove the peel. Place the flesh in the bowl and mash it with a fork, making sure there are no pieces of skin or any astray seeds. Add the persimmon pulp to the egg mixture and whisk until blended.
Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in three batches, stirring quickly until just combined. Fold in the Fuyi persimmon, cranberry and pecans.
Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 muffin molds. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 3 tablespoons of pecan.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before removing each muffin on a wire rack to cool.
Makes a dozen muffins.
Perfect timing Erica. Our local persimmon source is open for the season, but where do I find whole wheat pastry flour? Is it possible to substitute regular whole wheat flour?
Here’s the persimmon source near Hemet http://www.pe.com/columns/bobpratte/stories/PE_News_Local_E_ebob21.3e41664.html
Hi Gail! Yes, you can substitute regular whole wheat flour, but expect the texture to be just a tad bit firmer. I’ve seen whole wheat pastry flour at the Stater Bros on Ramona Expressway and State St. by MSJC. The brand is Bob’s Red Mill. You may want to check. Thanks for the persimmon story. Bob is ever so resourceful!
I found whole wheat pastry flour at Whole Foods in Laguna & bought my persimmons yesterday, a flat of them! So I’ll also be making steamed persimmon pudding with a brandy sauce for Christmas too.
Yum! Please send me a recipe for the persimmon pudding when you can. I’d love to try it. Merry Christmas!