Lemon-Glazed Persimmon Bars

yield: Makes 32 bars

Ingredients

For bars

• 3 very ripe (very soft) Hachiya persimmons (1 1/4 lb total)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup loosely packed dried pitted dates (5 oz), finely chopped
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans (3 1/2 oz), finely chopped

For glaze

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

Preparation

Make bars:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan (1 inch deep), knocking out excess flour.
Discard dried green or brown calyx (stem and leaves) from each persimmon, then force persimmons 1 at a time through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, using a rubber spatula to press hard on solids (discard solids). Transfer 1 cup purée to a small bowl (discard remainder) and stir in lemon juice and baking soda. (Mixture will become foamy, then jell slightly.)
Sift together flour, salt, and spices in another small bowl.
Whisk together egg, sugar, oil, and dates in a large bowl until just combined. Add flour mixture and persimmon mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and stirring until just combined. Stir in nuts.
Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack.

Glaze and cut bars:
Stir together all glaze ingredients until smooth, then spread over top of cooled cake. Cut crosswise into 8 strips, then lengthwise into fourths, for a total of 32 bars.
Cooks' note: Bars keep in an airtight container 3 days.

Glazed Persimmon Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10x15 inch baking pan.

Combine and set aside:

1 cups Persimmon pulp

1 tsp. soda

Cream together:

1 cups sugar

1 egg

112 cups oil

Add:

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

Blend in the pulp. Stir in:

1 cups nuts

1 cups raisins dusted with 1/4 cup flour

Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

Cool slightly on in the pan on a rack. While still warm, spread with

glaze. Cut into bars.

Glaze:

Beat together:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

Lemon Glazed Persimmon Bars

• 1 cup persimmon pulp
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup nuts
• 2 T lemon juice

1. Mix persimmon pulp with baking soda and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, lightly beat egg, then stir in sugar and oil.
3. Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture.
4. Stir in persimmon pulp, raisins, and nuts.
5. Spread evenly in a greased and floured jelly roll pan (10 x15)
6. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes.
7. Cool on rack for 5 minutes.
8. Drizzle with lemon glaze.

lemon-glazed persimmon bars

Gourmet | December 2004
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/231206

When Hachiya persimmons are very ripe, they're so fragile that they nearly turn to juice. If you want to freeze them as Michelle Evola's aunt Bess does, we suggest first putting them on a baking sheet in the freezer until they harden. Then wrap them in plastic wrap while they're hard and freeze them in a sealed plastic bag.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr (includes cooling)

Servings: Makes 32 bars.

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IngredientsFor bars
3 very ripe (very soft) Hachiya persimmons (1 1/4 lb total)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 large egg
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup loosely packed dried pitted dates (5 oz), finely chopped
1 cup walnuts or pecans (3 1/2 oz), finely chopped
For glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

PreparationMake bars:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan (1 inch deep), knocking out excess flour.
Discard dried green or brown calyx (stem and leaves) from each persimmon, then force persimmons 1 at a time through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, using a rubber spatula to press hard on solids (discard solids). Transfer 1 cup purée to a small bowl (discard remainder) and stir in lemon juice and baking soda. (Mixture will become foamy, then jell slightly.)

Sift together flour, salt, and spices in another small bowl.

Whisk together egg, sugar, oil, and dates in a large bowl until just combined. Add flour mixture and persimmon mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and stirring until just combined. Stir in nuts.

Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack.

Glaze and cut bars:
Stir together all glaze ingredients until smooth, then spread over top of cooled cake. Cut crosswise into 8 strips, then lengthwise into fourths, for a total of 32 bars.

Cooks' note:
Bars keep in an airtight container 3 days.