Persimmon Bars

By á-29897

*Hachiya persimmons much be completely ripe, meaning very squishy to the point of almost oozing liquid. The squishier the better!

Ingredients

• For the bars:
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour*
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar*
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup hachiya persimmon pulp, pureed (2 large or 3-4 small to medium)
• 1/2 cup milk (I used whole milk)
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (I used Chobani 0% plain)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup raisins or chopped dates
• For the brown butter frosting:
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 3 tablespoons milk or cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Details

Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 50mins
Adapted from flavorthemoments.com

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions

Prepare the bars:
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8" square baking dish with cooking spray.
2.Place the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
3.In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, and oil vigorously until frothy, about 1 minute. Whisk in the persimmon puree, milk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla until well combined. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until incorporated, then fold in the raisins. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until puffed in the middle and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, or until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 190 degrees. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack, then remove from the pan and cool completely.

Prepare the frosting:
1.While the bars cook, brown the butter. Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the butter melts. Increase the heat to medium, and cook until the butter has browned and has a nutty aroma, about 5-10 minutes. Pour the butter into a medium bowl and allow to solidify to the consistency of softened butter before preparing the frosting.
2.Add the powdered sugar, orange, zest, orange juice, milk or cream, and vanilla to the browned butter and beat on medium speed with a hand mixer until smooth. When the bars have cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the bars and cut into 16 squares. Store at room temperature in an airtight container and enjoy!


Notes

Total time above includes 30 minutes for the bars to cool before frosting.

*Whole wheat pastry flour may be substituted for whole wheat flour or all purpose flour.

*Coconut sugar may be substituted for granulated sugar or brown sugar. I like to use a combination of both -- ½ cup of brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated.