![\"Chocolate](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shescookin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Choc-Persimmon-Muffins-e1454384395324.jpg?resize=600%2C453&ssl=1\")
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For those of you familiar with She’s Cookin’, you know that my focus is not baking, but more about fast, fresh, and healthy, balanced meals for busy people like you and me. But every now and then I post a sweet treat to balance things out. Today, it’s a scrumptious Chocolate Persimmon Muffin recipe because it’s Fall and that’s when persimmons are in season.<\/p>\n
I like to introduce readers to seasonal fruits and vegetables that the home cook may not be familiar with, but that are available in most markets. I read dozens of cooking and baking blogs and it’s really easy to lose yourself in the multitude of images of mouth-watering decadent desserts and festive treats during the holidays. But, even with baking, I lean toward “healthier” baked goods that include fruit and citrus.<\/p>\n
![\"Persimmons,](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shescookin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Persimmons.jpg?resize=400%2C400&ssl=1\")
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Today, it’s the persimmon <\/span><\/strong>which is in season during the fall and winter months. The two most common varieties available in the U.S. are the Fuyu and the Hachiya.<\/p>\n Native to China and Japan, Persimmons<\/a> are now widely grown for commercial use in California. Eaten fresh, cooked, or even candied, the most common variety of Persimmon is called the Hachiya (or Japanese persimmon). Large and round with a pointy base, the Hachiya Persimmon is easy to distinguish from the Fuyu which is smaller, flatter, and tomato-shaped. Although both varieties have red-orange skin and jelly-like flesh when ripe, the similarities stop there. The Hachiya when completely ripe is soft, creamy, and tangy-sweet (some say bitter or astringent), while the Fuyu remains firm upon ripening with no tangy aftertaste.<\/p>\n In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter and sugars until they are light and creamy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs and yogurt, mix for about 1 minute until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the persimmon pulp and bittersweet chocolate.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t I used whole wheat flour, Fuyu persimmons, and Scharffen Berger Semi-sweet Chocolate chunks<\/a>. I also forgot the cocoa powder but it didn\u2019t affect the wholesome goodness or taste at all.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I came across this muffin recipe on my virtual friend Patty’s blog<\/span><\/strong><\/a> and was impressed because they make use of this relatively unfamiliar fruit AND, besides the healthy component of fruit, it called for chocolate chunks!\u00a0It also caught my eye because there just happens to be two persimmons that have been on my counter for some time…just wanted to make sure they were ripe!<\/p>\n This is a simple recipe – even if you don’t bake much and are using the most rudimentary of kitchen tools like a hand-held electric mixer from the 80’s. I keep hoping that I’ll win one of those CSN Giveaways or Kitchen Aid will send me a mixer to test!<\/p>\nWhat are Persimmons?<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\nChocolate and Persimmon Muffins<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shescookin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Choc-Persimmon-Muffins-e1454384395324-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\tChocolate and Persimmon Muffins<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tPrep Time<\/div>\n\t\t\t10<\/span> mins<\/span><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tCook Time<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t30<\/span> mins<\/span><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTotal Time<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t40<\/span> mins<\/span><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\tSweet persimmons combine with chocolate chunks in a flavorful and moist muffin. Recipe from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce <\/em>\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tCourse:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tBreakfast, Snack\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tServings<\/span>: 12<\/span> muffins or 24 minis<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tAuthor<\/span>: Priscilla<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\tIngredients<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\tInstructions<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGrease muffin tins.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn a large bowl sift all the dry ingredients together and set aside. (I don\u2019t own a sifter either, so just mixed the ingredients well).<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tScoop the batter into 12 or 24 muffin cups using a large spoon or a small ice cream scoop.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBake for approximately 30 minutes or 20 for the mini muffins. Test to see if the muffins are done by pushing down on them to see if they spring back. Remove the muffin tins from the oven, twist each muffin out and set aside to cool.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ol>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\tRecipe Notes<\/div>\n\t\t![\"Mixer\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shescookin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Mixer.jpg?resize=397%2C300&ssl=1\")
<\/a>Edit 11\/11\/13 – I did win a Candy Apple Red Kitchen Aid mixer at a Kitchen Aid event <\/a>hosted by White on Rice Couple<\/a> last year. Thank goodness, I can retire my ’80’s Hamilton Beach mixer.<\/p>\n