Sweet, fragrant custard apples are in season and on stall tables at Tony’s Fresh Fruit and Veg
There is nothing quite as mouth-watering as the velvety sweet flesh of a custard apple, scooped straight from the fruit with a spoon. Some people can be funny about custard apples, turning their nose up as it they associate it with the pungent odour of a durian. In fact, custard apples are quite the opposite. Whilst nothing like an apple, they do taste creamy and sweet but not exactly custard-like.
The months of March to May are peak season for custard apples and Tony’s Fresh Fruit and Veg stall at Brisbane Marketplace Rocklea is one place you’ll find them piled high. The custard apple is sometimes known as sweetsop or ox-heart and there are many varieties available, with Pink Mammoth and African Pride the most common. The varieties are quite similar, both being sweet and juicy, but the Mammoth lives up to its reputation being the larger, reaching up to 3 kg in weight, with the African Pride usually weighing below 1 kg.
A custard apple is ripe when you gently squeeze it and it gives a little, much the same as an avocado, and if the skin has changed to purple-black then it is past its prime. You can custard apples when they are dark green and then let ripen to a pale green colour over a few days. Remember, do not eat the nubbly green skin, simply quarter the fruit and scoop out the creamy flesh.
If you are unwilling to let go of summer flavours, the sweet taste of custard apple can add a refreshing touch to your autumn dishes, so to help you on a gourmet adventure with custard apples take a look at these few recipes: custard apple sorbet, custard apple parfait, kid’s custard apple muffins, custard apple pots and custard apple, passionfruit and coconut ice-blocks.
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