Honey Persimmon Quince Tea Bread

This is a spin-off on my Plantain Cranberry Bread but it is a difficult recipe, and very labor intensive. Don't try it unless you have a lot of time, a lot of help or both! The result, however, is outstanding so it's well worth all the effort I put into it.....and no, I did not have any help! The flavor is not strong as the fruits used do not themselves have strong flavors. I wanted to find a way to use Quinces since this is their season, and the usual method of poaching is too sweet for me (not that I don't do that and have it with plain yogurt, and granola). The spices have been adjusted to compliment the combination of quince and persimmon, and I have substituted honey in place of molasses to result in a more pleasing, lighter color for the bread. I also used a Meyer Lemon

as it's like a cross between an orange (the flavor that goes best with Quince) and a lemon. This delicately flavored, and not very dense bread goes well with a fragrant tea!

Asian pear, Quince,and Persimmons

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup bread flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice Powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 tsp grated fresh ginger root

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup yogurt

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

½ cup oil

1 Asian Pear or Apple( the skin is quite tough so I just cut it in quarters, cored it, then grated only the inside of the fruit. The peel stays intact while you are doing this and can be discarded). Drain the accumulated liquid before adding it to the rest of the mixture.

2 tablespoons honey

3/4 cup grated Quince (The quince can be peeled easily using a regular vegetable peeler. Cut the fruit in half with a large, sharp chef's knife. Be sure your cutting board is secure; the fruit is very tough and spongy and will be hard to cut.)

3/4 cup shredded Persimmon (Peel the persimmon, then grate it)

½ cup chopped dried cranberries

Juice and zest of one Meyer lemon
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a loaf pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper, Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, 5 spice powder, coriander.

3.In another bowl, mix together well, the shredded persimmon, grated apple, ginger root, Meyer lemon juice and zest, chopped cranberries, grated quince, and yogurt.

4.In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, dark brown sugar, oil, and honey.

5. Add the Quince and persimmon mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, and mix together until just combined. Do not over mix.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the edges are golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then allow it to cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.