Do you love eating custard apple? Follow these easy tips to use them at home

Now’s the time to savour sitaphal, also called custard apple. We’ve got you covered with a recipe to try at home and some handy hacks

Through Chef Miera Asrani’s love for cooking came relatively late in life, it was worth the wait when she saw the joy on her son’s face after teaching him how to whip cream. This moment sparked her culinary journey, starting with cooking classes at home. At 30, she enrolled in a confectionery and pastry course at Sophia College in 2018. In 2024, she enrolled in the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts to enhance her skills. Today, she runs a studio in Vashi, hosting hands-on classes for all ages, conducting workshops and organising exclusive culinary themed events across Mumbai.

She suggests a classic Portuguese dessert, Serradura, which gained popularity in Goa due to its colonial connection with Portugal. This recipe can be found in many Portuguese households as well as traditional eateries across Goa. It is made with tea biscuits, sweetened whipped cream, fruits, and nuts. If you’re looking to savour the seasonal fruit, this chilled recipe is a delightful treat to beat the October heat.

Miera Asrani

Use it right

. Custard apple chaat: Fold in custard apple pulp with boiled potatoes, tomatoes, onions, chaat masala and green chutney. 
. Custard apple and avocado salad: Create a salad with a hint of sweetness by combining mixed greens, creamy avocado, sweet custard apple and tangy lime dressing. 
. Custard apple acai bowl: For a power-packed breakfast, blend a packet of acai puree with bananas and almond milk. Top the mixture with de-seeded custard apple and granola. 
. Custard apple ice cream: Indulge in a rich ice cream by simply mixing custard apple pulp, cream and sugar together and freeze until set for a sweet, and refreshing treat.

Custard apple serradura 

INGREDIENTS
. 1 large ripe custard apple
. 1 cup heavy whipping cream
. 1 tsp vanilla extract
. 2 tbsp condensed milk
. 10-12 Marie biscuits (crumbled)

METHOD
Scoop out the pulp from the custard apple and carefully remove the seeds. Set the pulp aside. In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream for 10 minutes using a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold the condensed milk into the whipped cream. Carefully fold the custard apple pulp into the cream and condensed milk mixture, mixing it evenly. In serving glasses or bowls, layer crumbled Marie biscuits at the bottom and add a layer of the custard apple and cream mixture over the biscuit crumbs. Repeat the process, alternating layers of biscuit crumbs and the cream mixture, finishing with a layer of the cream mixture. Top the final layer with a bit of custard apple pulp and de-seeded custard apple for garnish. Refrigerate the dessert for 2 to 3 hours allowing it to set, before serving.

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