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In this delicious chirimoya recipe, frozen chunks of the tropical fruit are blended with camu camu and milk to make a chilled yet creamy fruit base for your smoothie bowl. The sweet flavors of the chirimoya are balanced by the tartness of the camu camu.
The smoothie bowl works great for breakfast or healthy snack to boost your immune system. Its creamy, frozen consistency reminds me of ice cream without all the sugar.
It was initially thought this fruit was from several countries in South America including Peru, but it actually originated in Central America and eventually made its way south. Outside of Peru and other South American countries, it’s known as a custard apple. With luck, it can be found in the U.S. at various times of the year.
Chirimoya has a thin green peel that you will want to peel off. The fruit is rather delicate and easily bruises so it’s best to transport and store it with care so it doesn’t get damaged.
The flesh of the chirimoya is creamy white and when ripe it is very juicy. It also has large black seeds which may be toxic if crushed and ingested, so remove them before blending.
You will want to cut up your chirimoya in chunks before freezing. I start by cutting the fruit in half lengthwise and then cut each half again lengthwise. Next, use a knife to peel off the skin. Cut into thin slices so you can find the seeds and remove them. The seeds can be a little challenging to find but I find that the thin slices makes it easier to locate them.
Then, I lay my cut chirimoya on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and stick it in the freezer. Once it’s frozen it can be transferred to a container in the freezer and you will have frozen chirimoya to make smoothie bowls whenever the craving strikes.
Take time to cut and freeze the chirimoya to achieve a nice creamy mixture. You won’t need to add ice and the results are similar to soft serve ice cream.
Use cold milk when making this recipe to help keep things frozen during preparation.
If necessary, you can substitute camu camu powder in place of the fresh fruit. Start with one teaspoon and add more if desired.
Eat your smoothie bowl right away! It tastes the best when fresh. You can freeze extra for later but it does result in a bit of an icy texture when frozen.
A sweetener is not absolutely necessary. Chirimoya is very sweet on its own, so taste it first before adding a sweetener. If you do prefer a sweeter flavor, add honey, agave or any sweetener.
All photos: Lyn Croyle/CookEatLiveLove.com