This persimmon bar recipe from my Aunt Besse received a standing round of applause from the Gourmet magazine test kitchen. Honored to have this recipe published.

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place rack in the middle of the oven.
Prepare a 10 x 15-inch pan with oil and a dusting of flour.
Shake out the excess flour.

1 cup ripe persimmon pulp, Hachiya variety
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil (canola or olive)
1 cup dates finely chopped
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

For the lemon glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest

Mix persimmon pulp with baking soda and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat egg. Stir in sugar, oil and dates.

Whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add flour mixture to sugar, oil
and date mixture, alternately with persimmon pulp. Stir until well combined. Fold in nuts.
Spread evenly in an oiled and flour dusted 10 x 15-inch pan.

Bake in a 350° F oven until lightly brown, about 25 minutes. The cake is done when the sides of the cake pull away from the cake pan and a knife inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean.

Cool. Brush on lemon glaze. Cut into bars.

Tip

Auntie Besse stores peeled persimmons in the freezer.