You might have tasted numerous fruits in your life, but the ones mentioned below are some of the most exotic and incredibly delectable fruits produced by nature. What really sets them apart from other fruits is that they are healthy, and have a taste similar to that of flavored ice-creams. Check out some of these fruits that taste naturally like dessert. You might just be drooling by the end.
1. Mangosteen
Imagine having a dessert that tastes like a mixture of peaches and cream. Mangosteen is exactly that. Found primarily in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Indonesia, this fruit is rich in anti-carcinogenic properties and its potassium content is known to help in regulating blood pressure. Furthermore, Mangosteen is also a powerful anti-oxidant and contains properties that can help against allergies, skin disorders, and fatigue.
Often called the 'Queen of Fruits', Mangosteen is the national fruit of Thailand and is widely used in the country for preparing a variety of desserts and smoothies. While the outer part of this fruit is thick, its inside is sweet and will feel like you are having a peach-flavored ice-cream.
2. Blue Java Banana
Bananas are among the most common and most popular fruits worldwide. While there are plenty of varieties of this fruit, have you ever tried a banana that literally tastes like vanilla ice-cream? Yes, the Blue Java banana, also known as the Ice Cream banana, Hawaiian banana, Ney Mannan, Krie, or Cenzio, is considered the tastiest banana of the world because of its sweet, aromatic flavor and a consistency that is amazingly similar to vanilla ice-cream. It has a creamy and moist texture that makes it a delight to have.
Found mostly in Fiji, California, and Central America, where the fruit is served as a refreshing dessert, the Blue Java banana also contains several antioxidants, vitamins B6 and C, along with plenty of potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, and protein.
3. Canistel
Though it looks a bit like a mango from the outside, Canistel is a completely different fruit. Native to southern Mexico and cultivated in the Americas, Asia, and Africa, this fruit is also known as eggfruit because of its unique flesh that is bright egg yolk-yellow in color. When it becomes ripe, the canistel is smooth and custardy, very much like a hard-boiled yolk. The fruit can be enjoyed raw but a lot of people prefer having it with pepper, salt, and mayonnaise.
Like most other fruits, the canistel is rich in vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants and is also a great source of fiber. It has a sweet, mousse-like flesh making it a super healthy sugar substitute. Canistel also works wonderfully well in custards, ice cream, pie fillings, and pancakes. However, it tastes best when blended with milk or as a milkshake.
4. Barhi Dates
Do you have a special liking for the butterscotch flavor? Then you must try Barhi dates. This unique fruit resembles butterscotch in taste mostly. However, its degree of sweetness varies according to its ripeness level. When it is semi-ripe, a Barhi date will be yellow and firm with a crunchy apple-like texture and will taste like coconut and cinnamon. As it ripens, the fruit turns brownish and soft and offers a rich butterscotch-like taste along with higher sugar content. These fruits are popular not just because of their special taste but also because of their chewy texture.
One of the best things about Barhi dates is that they add an exquisite sweet texture to several dishes. Furthermore, they can be refrigerated for months and can also be savored as tasty little candies. The Barhi date is generally eaten fresh and very rarely when it reaches its final dried, wrinkled stage.
5. Cupuaçu
Cupuaçu is a nutrient-rich fruit that is related to the cacao tree. Also known as cupuassu, this fruit is native to the Amazon and is slowly becoming quite popular throughout Brazil. It has a fleshy, white pulp with a chocolaty, fruity flavor. The white pulp of the cupuassu tastes like a mix of melon or pineapple and chocolate. Because of its rich chocolaty flavor, cupuaçu is commonly used in desserts and even pressed into a juice. As it comes from the cocoa family, cupuaçu can be processed like cocoa to produce a large number of delicious treats.
The seeds of the cupuaçu are beneficial and are known to cure abdominal pain. The unique fruit is now gaining popularity in other countries as well because it is a genuinely great alternative to chocolate and is also very healthy.
6. Cherimoya
This is a green, cone-shaped fruit that has a scaly skin but is creamy and sweet. Cherimoya is believed to have originated in the Andes mountains of South America and is grown in tropical areas with high altitudes. Because of its creamy texture and sweet taste, the fruit is also called custard apple. Since it is creamy from inside, the fruit is generally eaten with a spoon and served as chilled custard.
Cherimoya is also considered a wonderful alternative for pineapple-mango ice cream, as it offers the taste of both these fruits in a creamy form. The best way to enjoy this fruit is to let it ripen at room temperature and then refrigerate it. Apart from its pleasing taste, cherimoya is also rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
7. Ice Cream Bean
As its name suggests, the ice cream bean is a fruit that has a flavor similar to ice-cream. While it looks like a tamarind pod from the outside, these fruits are more like two-meter long candy bars. The inside of the fruit contains numerous large purple-black seeds, lined up in one row, embedded in a tasty, translucent-white pulp. The spongy pulp has a sweet flavor that resembles the taste of vanilla ice cream. Its texture is that of chewy cotton candy with a juicy finish.
The ice cream bean is native to Mexico in the north and the Amazon rainforest in the south. The fruit tastes best when eaten raw but is also used as a flavoring agent for many desserts. Apart from its scrumptious taste, the fruit is also known to help treat nerve problems, lower bad cholesterol, and boost immunity.
8. Black Sapote
Popularly known as Chocolate Pudding Fruit, Black Sapote is a round squat fruit similar to a green persimmon. This delicious fruit has a dark brown, custard-like flesh along with a light flavor and a rich texture. Found in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and Colombia, black sapote is often used with fruits like lemons and oranges to provide a more natural flavor and a nice filling for pies.
In countries like the Philippines, the fruit is first deseeded, and then the pulp is served with citrus juices or mixed with milk for pudding. Mexicans, on the other hand, are known to mash the pulp of the black sapote fruit, mix it with brandy, and serve it with cream, making for an appetizing dessert. Once ripe, the black sapote fruit can be refrigerated for three to four days. Its sweet, custardy, chocolate-like flavor makes it perfect for having the fruit raw. It is indeed a healthy alternative for chocolate lovers.
