Some people consider fruit a dessert, while others are repulsed by the idea. Enter chocolate pudding fruit. Here to close the vast chasm between divided thinkers, this rich treat blurs the lines between the two (though, to be completely clear, it’s a fruit).
An unripe chocolate pudding fruit does not resemble chocolate pudding at all; it’s astringent, white, and basically inedible. When fully ripe, however, the interior of the same fruit becomes rich and custard-like, with a dark chocolate color. Its outside develops a slightly withered, greenish-brown appearance, but the inside is thick and smooth. The range of reactions, however, is quite diverse, as some tasters fail to detect any notes of chocolate, while others describe the fruit’s flavor profile as sweet and mild, with chocolatey overtones.
Farmers harvest these unusual treats when they resemble green tomatoes, just before they’ve reached full maturity. The fruit are left to finish ripening in one’s home over three to six days, much like avocados. Lucky snackers open chocolate pudding fruit like an avocado, as well: Just cut, twist into halves, and scrape out big chunks with a spoon.
Akin to a banana, the chocolate pudding fruit is both enjoyed plain and incorporated into all sorts of desserts. Fans include it in milkshakes, cakes, puddings (naturally), and mousse, and use it as the star of assorted raw sweets. People also enjoy it with ice cream, not unlike a banana split.
Whether or not you believe fruit is a legitimate choice of dessert, the versatile chocolate pudding fruit works in just about anything sweet and decadent. If the thought of a healthy dessert puts you off, just blend it into ice cream. No one has to know there’s fruit in there.
Need to Know
Chocolate pudding fruit is cultivated in parts of North America and Australia in addition to its native regions in Central and South America. You can find it in specialty grocery stores or order it online.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, El Salvador
OTHER NAMES
Zapote Negro, Diospyros Digyna, Diospyros Nigra, Black Permission, Black Zapote
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