The name "custard apple" (also known as cherimoya) is derived from a word meaning "cold seed" in Quechua (the Inca language still spoken by the Indian peoples of Peru and Bolivia). There are over 50 varieties of this fruit.

A member of the Annonaceae family which also includes the soursop and the sweetsop; when the fruit is mature the colours range from a light green or jade to a dark green depending on variety, turning to yellow and eventually almost black as the fruit ripens. The fruit may be cone-shaped, oval, spherical or heart-shaped and can weigh anywhere between 250g - 2 kilograms and takes between 20 and 25 weeks to reach maturity. Some varieties are covered with large scales.

This fragile layer of skin is too bitter to be eaten. The fragrant whitish pulp of the custard apple is sweet and juicy, with a slightly acid taste and granular texture (although less so than the pear). It has the consistency of custard and contains numerous hard and inedible seeds.

The pleasing fragrance of the ripe custard apple can turn into an unpleasant odour and spoil the fruit's flavour when it becomes overripe. Because it spoils so easily and does not stand up well to transportation, the custard apple is usually picked before it is fully ripe. However fragile, the custard apple is considered by many to be one of the finest and most flavourful of fruits.

History

Although native to South America, Queensland is the world's largest commercial producer. Even so, many Australians are unfamiliar with this tropical fruit and much of the harvest is exported to Asia. With its sweet flavour and creamy texture, the custard apple is well worth growing if you live in northern Australia. They are very cold-sensitive. The four main growing areas are found along the subtropical and tropical coast of the eastern seaboard from the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland to Lismore in Northern NSW. The largest growing and production area is the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland while the Yeppoon area in Central Queensland can lay claim to producing the first fruit of the season.

Nutritional Value

Custard apples are LOW GI. With a Glycemic Index of 54, custard apples are grouped with foods that are most satisfying and help reduce overeating. Low GI foods also help people with diabetes to control their blood glucose levels as well as reduce the chance of coronary heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. With sweet tasting flesh, custard apples are a healthy 'sweet' option.

Custard apples are a well-balanced food having protein, fibre, minerals, vitamins, energy and little fat. They are an excellent source of Vitamin C, a good source of dietary fibre, a useful source of Vitamin B6, magnesium and potassium, and with some B2 and complex carbohydrate.

100 grams of flesh will provide over 110 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C and as even a small custard apple will weigh around 250 grams then there is no need for supplements to obtain your vitamin C intake if eaten daily.

Very little vitamin C is stored in the body so it should be taken in every day and as it is lost from food in cooking then fresh food is best. Custard apples boast many of the important anti-oxidants minerals and vitamins (such as vitamin C) that fight free radicals and help, in particular, to minimise damage to tissues and joints during cardiovascular exercise. Magnesium also has a major role to play in the protection against heart disease.

100 grams of custard apple flesh also supplies almost 10% of your daily magnesium needs.

Buying

Choose a fragrant fruit that is intact and not too firm. Avoid bruised or blackish skin and handle the custard apple with care, as it is extremely fragile. They are ready to eat and at their nutritional peak when they are just ripe with a firm softness, like ripe avocados. The skin goes a dull green with a yellowing around the nodules. If you want to accelerate the ripening process of your custard apples, simply put the fruit into a brown paper bag with a banana and leave it on the kitchen bench.

Storage

The custard apple ripens best at room temperature at an ideal temperature range of between 18°C and 24°C. It should therefore be refrigerated only once ripe as it will not ripen below 14°C; it will keep for 1 - 2 days in the refrigerator. Since it tends to ferment when overripe, the custard apple should not be left out for too long. During winter store the fruit in a warm area and cover to hold in their warmth. Shelf life is short so buy small quantities more frequently.

This fruit is difficult to freeze, even when pureed, as it must be frozen at a specific stage in its maturation that is difficult to determine with accuracy. When frozen under suitable conditions, pureed custard apple will keep for up to 4 months. Pulp and sliced fruit can be refrigerated for up to 4-5 days if kept in an airtight jar or with plastic covering the surface of the pulp to help prevent browning.

Preparing

The custard apple should be washed briefly before peeling it and cutting it into two or more sections. The fibrous centre is discarded only if it is still hard. The seeds can be removed immediately, while eating the fruit or before dicing or pureeing it.

How to Prepare a Pinks Mammoth
Hold the fruit in both hands; place your thumb in the hole where the stem joins the custard apple. Gently pull the fruit apart. Then simply pull the segments out with your fingers, or use a spoon.

Custard apples are only eaten when soft and only the flesh is eaten. Select custard apples that are hard, then ripen at room temperature at home. This avoids bruising and loss of quality in transport.

To eat African Pride custard apples, simply cut in half and scoop out the white flesh. The custard apple should be moist with a pleasant sweet aroma. The best way to remove seeds is to mash the pulp with a fork. The seed can then be picked out easily.

Using

• Add segments to a prawn or seafood cocktail.
• Serve cut wedges on a fruit/cheese/nut platter. Flavours that go well with custard apple include pineapple, papaw, mulberries, kiwi fruit and guava.
• Complementary flavours also include cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon, orange, honey and vanilla.
• Mix with cream or yoghurt for a parfait dish.
• Spoon into meringue cases and top with fresh cream.
• Make the pulp of a custard apple a soothing accompaniment to a hot curry.
• Mashed custard apple is ideal for toddlers and is simple to prepare.
• Sieve custard apple pulp and add to ice-cream or sorbets.
• Custard apple flesh can be scooped out and blended with any of the following to make a delicious drink; orange juice, milk and coffee, strawberries, milk with nutmeg on top, ginger ale or custard apple eggnog.
• Fill pancakes with custard apple pulp as a healthy sweet sensation, or blend with mashed banana and a little cream as a delicious sauce for puddings and cakes.
• Dip custard apple pieces in melted chocolate and chill in the fridge.
• Add pureed custard apple to a pork stir-fry for a savoury dish.
• Add pureed custard apple to salad dressing for that little extra something.