A popular seasonal tropical fruit which originated in South America happens to be a well-known gourmet ingredient today with multiple uses in a variety of recipes from sweets to puddings and from Indo-Western to fusion culinary trends have also involved custard apple as a season’s specialty. Due to its creamy texture, it is also called as cherimoya or sugar apple and we commonly call it as sitaphal.
Custard apple is rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals, it is also considered to be good for the heart, eye health, reduces inflammation and also helps in digestion. The uses of custard apple with modern cuisine includes it being concocted with nuts, seeds, milk based, vegan concepts and even with classical Indian desserts too like a sitaphal aur khajoor ki phirni, custard apple shahi tukda, baked custard apple Jamun dessert and more!
Here are a few simple – easy and yummy ways with custard apple:
LAYERED CUSTARD APPLE & CHOCOLATE SOIL SWEET
Ingredients
1 cup custard apple pulp
1½ cup vanilla flavored custard
½ cup desi rabdi –optional.
4-5 chocolate biscuits, powdered
4-5 plain digestive biscuits, powdered
2 tbsp assorted chopped nuts of your choice
2 tsp flax seeds/ 2 tsp soaked chia seeds in 1 cup water for 30 mins
2 tsp chocolate chips/ 2 tbsp. chocolate sauce
3-4 no cherries/ 3-4 no mint leaves to garnish the sweet
1 cup assorted cut fresh fruits of your choice
Glasses/mould/pudding dish as desired to set the sweet dish
Method
Prepare all the ingredients for the custard apple sweet. If using dessert bowls/glasses start layering the custard, biscuits, rabdi, nuts, custard apple pulp and repeat the layers till the top. Ensure the color contrast is visible. Top the glasses with more rabdi if being used, custard, fruits, pulp and top with fresh mint leaves/ glazed or tinned cherries and allow to chill for 30- 45 mins and serve.
DESI SITAPHAL KI VIDESHI PHIRNI
Ingredients
1 cup custard apple pulp
500 ml milk/soy milk
¼ cup condensed milk or sweetener of your choice
2 tbsp raw basmati rice soaked for 20 mins and ground to a thick paste.
½ tsp green cardamom powder
2 tsp chopped raisins
2 tsp chopped cashews/almonds
1 tsp ghee
2 tsp chocolate sauce/ 2 tbsp. chocolate sauce,
Assorted fresh fruits – to layer with the phirni- kiwi, berries, cherries etc
Method
Prepare all the ingredients for the sitaphal phirni and heat up the milk in a thick bottomed pan, add in the cardamom powder, sweetener of your choice and stir well. Add in the prepared rice paste, ghee and simmer, stirring occasionally cook up the phirni on low flame for around 25-30 mins. It should be getting a little texture and thickness to it so as to coat the back side of a spoon. Turn off the flame and allow to cool completely. At this stage we can add in a little rose water as well and start layering the sweet with fresh fruits and nuts, choco chips/chocolate sauce into dessert bowls/glasses/pudding bowl etc garnish appropriately and allow to chill for 25-30 mins and serve.
HEALTHY CUSTARD APPLE SHAKE
Ingredients
1 cup custard apple
1 cup soya milk/regular milk.
2 tsp honey
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
2-3 dates, chopped finely
1 tsp flax seeds – whole or powdered can be used
1 medium size ripe banana – peeled and sliced
Assorted nuts as desired
Mint leaves/cherries- for garnish if desired
Method
Prepare all the ingredients for the healthy custard apple shake. Combine the ingredients into a blender jar or a food processor and churn it all well to a nice smooth texture. Pour the shake into chilled glasses and garnish with assorted nuts/seeds/ mint etc and serve it immediately.
ROSE AND CUSTARD APPLE DESSERT
Ingredients
1 cup custard apple pulp
2 tsp ghee
1-2 green cardamoms
½ cup crushed vermicelli
Sweetener of your choice – sugar/condensed milk/ jaggery.
500 ml milk
2-3 tbsp rose syrup
2 tsp chopped cashews
2 tsp chopped raisins
5-6 chocolate biscuits/ digestive biscuits crushed
1 cup sponge cake cubes
2 tsp choco chips
2 tbsp chocolate sauce
Method
Using a saucepan, heat up the ghee and add in the crushed vermicelli and green cardamom and let it get slightly roasted for a few seconds and add in the milk, sweetener of your choice and mix well. Allow to cook for 10-12 mins. Once the sweet starts getting a little thicker add in the assorted nuts and mix well. Turn off the flame add allow to cool completely and mix in the custard apple pulp into it and mix. To serve the dessert place the sponge cake cubes at the base of the pudding bowl, spoon over some of the vermicelli pudding, some nuts, crushed biscuits, choco chips and chocolate sauce, the rose syrup and repeat the layers till the top. Finally drizzle some rose syrup and few nuts and serve this sweet chilled for around 30 mins.
TENDER COCONUT CUSTARD APPLE PUDDING
Ingredients
1 cup custard apple pulp
½ cup tender coconut flesh/malai shredded
1 cup coconut milk, thick.
¼ tsp green cardamom powder/ cinnamon powder
2 tbsp condensed milk or sweetener of your choice
½ cup sago or sabudana soaked in 3 cups water for 30 mins.
500 ml milk
2- 3 chopped dates
2 tbsp assorted chopped nuts
Cherries/mint/praline/roasted sliced coconut for garnish
Method
In a saucepan, combine together the milk, cardamom powder and soaked-drained sabudana and sweetener of your choice mix well, simmer for 20 mins stirring occasionally to prevent sticking at the base. Once the sabudana turns translucent in appearance add in the coconut milk and nuts and continue to cook on low flake for 12-15 mins. Turn off the flame, cool and then add in the custard apple pulp, tender coconut malai or flesh along a few chopped dates as well if desired. Pour in the prepared pudding into dessert bowls and garnish with nuts etc and serve warm or chilled.
