How to eat a Custard Apple?

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

So hubby decided he wanted to try one of these things.

Does anyone know what I do with it? I don't even know if it can be eaten raw? Does it need peeling? If so, how? How do I know when it's ripe?

It wasn't cheap, so I don't want to waste it or ruin it. I'm currently just looking at it.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Yes you can eat it raw. Cooked, it's probably awful.
Make sure it's "soft" to the touch; in other words, squeeze it gently and, if it gives, it should be ready to eat,
Cut it in half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Don't eat the seeds.
There are two varieties over here. One is called "Chirimoya" and the other is called "Anon". both from the same family.

 

[JAS_OH1]

So hubby decided he wanted to try one of these things.

View attachment 100884

Does anyone know what I do with it? I don't even know if it can be eaten raw? Does it need peeling? If so, how? How do I know when it's ripe?

It wasn't cheap, so I don't want to waste it or ruin it. I'm currently just looking at it.

Wow! That's so interesting to look at. I haven't a clue.

Yes you can eat it raw. Cooked, it's probably awful.
Make sure it's "soft" to the touch; in other words, squeeze it gently and, if it gives, it should be ready to eat,
Cut it in half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Don't eat the seeds.
There are two varieties over here. One is called "Chirimoya" and the other is called "Anon". both from the same family.

Interesting, so does it taste like a soft apple then?

 

[karadekoolaid]

It's been a while since I ate one. To be honest, I can't remember.
Now I'm going to have to buy one to remind myself...

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Yes you can eat it raw. Cooked, it's probably awful.
Make sure it's "soft" to the touch; in other words, squeeze it gently and, if it gives, it should be ready to eat,
Cut it in half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Don't eat the seeds.
There are two varieties over here. One is called "Chirimoya" and the other is called "Anon". both from the same family.

I asked my neighbour when I saw her at knitting today and she suggested custard apple and rhubarb crumble (she knows we have plenty of rhubarb). But I can see that it will need tasting first.

It does have some give to it when you press it harder, so it might need another day to ripen yet.

That single fruit is just over ½kg in weight, so I'm guessing we don't need many of them.

 

[badjak]

I grow them and had some fruits on them recently.
Make sure they are ripe. They will be soft then.
I just break them open by hand and eat.
There is some white meat around big black pips and it is really sweet.
No resemblance to apple though. Structure is a bit like custard

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I grow them and had some fruits on them recently.
Make sure they are ripe. They will be soft then.
I just break them open by hand and eat.
There is some white meat around big black pips and it is really sweet.
No resemblance to apple though. Structure is a bit like custard

We ate it on Thursday. It was ripe. It was also sickly sweet and I can eat date syrup straight off the spoon, but this was something beyond that.

It was ok. That was as far as either of us was prepared to say. We'd eat it again if it was free. I'll not pay $14/kg for it. I'm not sure I'd pay even $5/kg to be brutally honest. I can see why people say to pair it with rhubarb. But we don't put sugar on stewed rhubarb. We eat it as is and it's plenty sweet enough for us.