Whenever I’m at the farmer’s market and I see a fruit or veggie that I’m unfamiliar with I have to give it a try. The cherimoya is a fruit that I have only seen, but never tasted. To me they taste like a cross between a pineapple and a pear. This sweet tropical fruit is indigenous to Peru and Ecuador. Their insides are white and fleshy with large hard black seeds. The skin is very thin, much like a pear, but should not be eaten. They are quick to ripen and you will know when they are ready to eat when they are a bit soft to the touch, much like when you know an avocado is ripe. I simply eat them by cutting the fruit into slices, removing the seeds and enjoy the sweet insides. Cherimoyas are high in calcium, vitamin C and niacin. They can be rather expensive at about $5/pound.
If you are lucky enough to find one of these rare fruits, (between January and June), you can eat them plain or try them in one of these recipes:
Cherimoya Ice Cream Recipe
2 cups cherimoya, peeled and 1 1/2 cups sugar
seeded 2 cups whipping cream
2/3 cup orange juice
2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla
Blend cherimoya with orange juice, eggs and sugar until pureed. Add the whipping cream and vanilla and pour all in ice cream maker 1/2-gallon or larger. Process until frozen. Makes about 7 cups ice cream.
Cherimoya Daiquiri Recipe
4 ounces light rum
2 tsp sugar
1 ounce Curacao
3/4 cup chopped cherimoya
1 ounce lime juice
2 cups crushed ice
Put all ingredients into blender container. Blend until thick, frosty and smooth. Makes 2 servings.
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