How to Select and Store Custard Apples

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Last Updated: November 14, 2022

Often overlooked as a choice of fruit, the custard apple (a catch-all name for a fruit also called cherimoya fruit, sweetsop or sweet apple^{[1]
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Research source}) is a delicious fruit. It has a pale green skin ridged with bumps that might seem a little intimidating at first but once you realize how tasty the creamy, white flesh inside is, you'll want to enjoy these fruits regularly when in season. Ideal for eating as a snack or added to fruit salad or other cold dessert dishes, by choosing the custard apple at its best, you'll be assured of an enjoyable feast.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing Custard Apples

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1
Look for the color first. The sign of a good quality, ripe custard apple is a pale green tone across the fruit. This indicates it is ready to eat. If the fruit is a darker green, this indicates that it is unripe;^{[2]
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Research source} it is still good to buy but needs ripening at home.
- African Pride may have a light yellow tinge as well as pale green.^{[3]
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- Avoid fruit that has black or purple coloring, as it is no longer fresh and may even be rotten.
- There is a new late-fruiting variety of custard apple that has a pink skin.^{[4]
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  Research source} It is known as Pinks Blush. If you're lucky enough to find this unusual variety (Australia only currently), it will have a pink skin rather than light green.
Do this carefully, as no greengrocer wants bruises on their unsold fruit! The fruit should have a small give, much like a ripe avocado, when it's ripe enough to eat.

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A few black spots here and there are to be expected,as this is a delicate fruit. Some marks will appear during travel or as a result of handling, as the fruit is easy to bruise.^{[3]
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Research source} These small marks will not usually affect the condition of the flesh inside. It is only something to be concerned about when you see evident rotting or a black or purple color all over.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Storing Custard Apples

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Each should be stored differently, as the unripe one needs to be ripened. An unripe custard apple will be firm to the touch, with no give.
To ripen the custard apple, leave it out at room temperature in a fruit bowl or on the bench. If you need it faster, just pop it into a paper bag with a banana for 24 hours and it'll ripen quickly.
Once ripened, a custard apple won't keep for long at room temperature, especially not in a warm room. So, place it in the refrigerator for cool storage, where it will keep for up to three (3) days.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Enjoying Your Custard Apples

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1
Eat the custard apple fresh or chilled. The fruit can be eaten at room temperature, or eaten chilled from the fridge. However, allow it to stand for at least 5 minutes after removing it from the refrigerator before eating it. This will ensure that its flavor is best.
- Depending on the variety of custard apple, you can cut the fruit in and half and either scoop the flesh out with a spoon or pull apart and take out pieces of the fruit and eat by hand. The creamier the flesh, the more likely it is you'll need to use a spoon for scooping it out.
- The seeds are inedible; remove these before eating.

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How can I ripen an unripe custard apple?

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You can leave the unripe custard apple in a fruit bowl on the kitchen countertop to ripen over a few days at room temperature. This time can be sped up by placing the custard apple into a paper bag with a banana; with this method, usually it'll be ripe enough to eat within 24 hours or even earlier.

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How long can you store custard apple?

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A ripe custard apples will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can keep it for longer by pureeing and freezing the puree.

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Can the fruit of the sugar apple be frozen?

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A custard apple can be frozen but it is best done so as a puree, as it tends to turn to mush if frozen whole. To freeze as a puree, add some lemon or lime juice to the puree mixture, then transfer to an airtight freezer container or bag. Label and date, it'll stay good for up to 12 months.

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Custard apples provide a good source of fibre (fiber), vitamin C and potassium.^{[2]
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Pinks Mammoth and African Pride are the main varieties of custard apple available.^{[5]
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