A few years ago I found out the hard way that certain varieties of persimmon can leave your mouth temporarily numb if eaten before they’re completely ripe. These are the hachiya and gyombo varieties and I will never make the same mistake again. Although, it might not be a bad idea to eat one before a trip to the dentist.

Fuyu persimmons, on the other hand, are as tasty as they are fun to look at – like a mini, shiny pumpkin-fruit. I got a little carried away (as usual) at the farmers’ market a couple weeks ago and suddenly found myself with an excess of rapidly-ripening persimmons, and I thought I’d try them out in a bread. I will say I was a little disappointed that the persimmons’ delicious, natural cinnamon-like flavor was lost a bit in the translation to bread, but not enough to keep me from baking this again in the future. Next time, I’d like to add a little more sugar, and maybe do half persimmon and half pumpkin puree for an even more wintery flavor. It’s a simple recipe and a hearty quick bread, perfect for pairing with a cup of tea by the fire or sharing on a hike, depending on the range of weather-permitting activities in your corner of the globe.

Vegan Persimmon Walnut Bread
Recipe from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

1 1/2 cups very ripe persimmons (such as fuyus), peeled and mashed (about 6-8 small or medium persimmons)
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar mixed with 2 tbsp. water
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 º F. Oil a loaf pan and lightly coat with flour.

In a small bowl, mix the persimmon, lemon juice, oil, and sugar-water. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, except for walnuts. Pour the wet into the dry and mix, just until all flour is moistened. Do not over-mix. Fold in the walnuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan. Cool completely before serving.