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Often overlooked as a choice of fruit, the custard apple (a catch-all name for a fruit also called cherimoya fruit, sweetsop or sweet apple) is a delicious fruit. It has a pale green skin ridged with bumps that might seem a little intimidating at first but once you realize how tasty the creamy, white flesh inside is, you'll want to enjoy these fruits regularly when in season. Ideal for eating as a snack or added to fruit salad or other cold dessert dishes, by choosing the custard apple at its best, you'll be assured of an enjoyable feast.
Steps
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Look for the color first. The sign of a good quality, ripe custard apple is a pale green tone across the fruit. This indicates it is ready to eat. If the fruit is a darker green, this indicates that it is unripe; [1] X Research source it is still good to buy but needs ripening at home.
- African Pride may have a light yellow tinge as well as pale green. [2] X Research source
- Avoid fruit that has black or purple coloring, as it is no longer fresh and may even be rotten.
- There is a new late-fruiting variety of custard apple that has a pink skin. [3] X Research source It is known as Pinks Blush. If you're lucky enough to find this unusual variety (Australia only currently), it will have a pink skin rather than light green.
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Check for the firmness of the fruit. Do this carefully, as no greengrocer wants bruises on their unsold fruit! The fruit should have a small give, much like a ripe avocado, when it's ripe enough to eat.Advertisement
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Check for blemishes. A few black spots here and there are to be expected,as this is a delicate fruit. Some marks will appear during travel or as a result of handling, as the fruit is easy to bruise. [2] X Research source These small marks will not usually affect the condition of the flesh inside. It is only something to be concerned about when you see evident rotting or a black or purple color all over.
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Determine whether your have a ripe or unripe custard apple. Each should be stored differently, as the unripe one needs to be ripened. An unripe custard apple will be firm to the touch, with no give.
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Ripen an unripe custard apple. To ripen the custard apple, leave it out at room temperature in a fruit bowl or on the bench. If you need it faster, just pop it into a paper bag with a banana for 24 hours and it'll ripen quickly.
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Store a ripe custard apple in the refrigerator. Once ripened, a custard apple won't keep for long at room temperature, especially not in a warm room. So, place it in the refrigerator for cool storage, where it will keep for up to three (3) days.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow can I ripen an unripe custard apple?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerYou can leave the unripe custard apple in a fruit bowl on the kitchen countertop to ripen over a few days at room temperature. This time can be sped up by placing the custard apple into a paper bag with a banana; with this method, usually it'll be ripe enough to eat within 24 hours or even earlier.
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QuestionHow long can you store custard apple?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerA ripe custard apples will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can keep it for longer by pureeing and freezing the puree.
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QuestionCan the fruit of the sugar apple be frozen?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerA custard apple can be frozen but it is best done so as a puree, as it tends to turn to mush if frozen whole. To freeze as a puree, add some lemon or lime juice to the puree mixture, then transfer to an airtight freezer container or bag. Label and date, it'll stay good for up to 12 months.
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Tips
- Custard apples provide a good source of fibre (fiber), vitamin C and potassium. [1] X Research sourceThanks
- Pinks Mammoth and African Pride are the main varieties of custard apple available. [4] X Research sourceThanks
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Things You'll Need
- Paper bag and banana (optional)
- Refrigerated storage
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.taste.com.au/healthy/articles/custard-apples/ayji7ngd
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Recipes/A_E/Custard-apple
- ↑ https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2018-01-02/custard-apple-new-variety-struggles-to-meet-demand/9282268
- ↑ https://www.australiantropicalfoods.com/index.php/exotic-fruits/custard-apple/
About This Article
Article Summary
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To select a good custard apple, or sweetsop, look for a fruit that’s pale green all over. Some varieties may be light yellow when ripe. Gently squeeze the custard apple to make sure it isn’t too firm or too squishy. It should have a little bit of give, like a ripe avocado. While it’s normal for a ripe custard apple to have some small black spots, avoid fruits that have large black or purple blotches. If you get a custard apple that’s still unripe, leave it out at room temperature for a day or two to ripen. Store ripe custard apples in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them.
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