Back before Christmas I was given a huge amount of persimmons. In the area I live in, Fuyu persimmon trees produce fruit in the Fall and a small tree can produce a lot of fruit. The persimmon fruit looks like an orange tomato, but inside, it is firm like a plum. It is rather sweet, having a honey like flavor.
We like to eat them fresh, but after awhile, our huge supply was more than we could handle. With what was left, I peeled them and pureed the flesh in the food processor. I froze the puree in 2 cup batches in freezer bags.
One of my favorite ways to use this persimmon puree is to make muffins. I have a basic muffin recipe that I use and it is very adaptable, allowing for any kind of puree to be used.
I've used all kinds of pureed fruits and veggies to make these muffins. I've used sweet potatoes, pumpkin, apples, pears, bananas, zucchini,squash,blackberries,blueberries, and figs. I've even used a combination of fruits and veggies to get the 2 required cups of puree.
So, here's the recipe:
2 cups fruit or veggie puree
1 1/2 cup sugar (I like a less sweet muffin so I only add 1 cup)
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil in liquid form (you could use vegetable oil but it's not very good for you)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white wheat flour (or all purpose, unbleached flour)
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees
~Beat sugar, puree, water, eggs, and oil in mixer until blended
~Add dry ingredients and mix well
~Drop batter into 24 muffin cups that have been greased or lined
~Bake 15 minutes.
*The only puree that must be from a cooked vegetable is the sweet potato and pumpkin. All other puree can be made from raw fruits and veggies. The zucchini and squash will not puree all the way down - it's more of a fine chop.
This recipe is a great way to use up fruit and veggies that are about to go bad. It doesn't matter if they are a little too soft because you're going to puree them anyway.
I know they didn't last long at your house!
ReplyDeleteI'm bookmarking this recipe! The 4yo loves breads, but will pass on veggies, this would be a great way to give him both!
ReplyDeleteI had a bunch of squishy second apricots that I used in your recipe! I also tweaked it a bit and made the muffins gluten free. They were delicious! Thank you! I'm inspired to puree lots of different fruits and veggies and muffinize them ;)
ReplyDeleteDo you know if these muffins freeze well. My son has Autism and eats very few foods but LOVES muffins so I am going to give these a try. Thank you for the great ideas to add to them :)
ReplyDeleteYes, these muffins freeze very well. My husband and son pack them in their lunches while still frozen, and they are thawed by lunchtime.
DeleteThis is a terrific recipe - I am milk and soy free because of my infant's intolerance and finding something good to bake without either is tricky. This recipe is a breakfast and snack treat, and a great way to get rid of the fruit that would otherwise just end up getting tossed! I've modified a little - I use all whole wheat flour, use only half the ginger and add 1/2 to 1 tsp of vanilla extract. I use 1 cup of sugar. I find they freeze very well. I like to warm them up a bit in the microwave before eating, but it's not necessary. My 4 year-old daughter likes them as well.
ReplyDeleteThese are terrific! I have modified the recipe a bit to my liking. I use all whole wheat flour, canola oil and add 3 tablespoons of ground flax. For the sugar, I use 1 cup of brown sugar. I add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. I've made these with all manner of fruit and vegetable combinations and for variety sometimes add whole fresh blueberries. I haven't made a batch yet that I haven't liked!
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