How to Eat Star Apple

The first reaction to tasting a star apple is usually a wide-eyed “wow!” Imagine a sweet grape crossed with a ripe persimmon. That’s the flavor and texture you can expect from a star apple. Star apples have a bright, sweet, tropical flavor and creamy, jellylike fruit flesh.

This is no ordinary apple. In fact, it’s not an apple at all! Star apples get their name from the pattern of seeds at the center of their incredibly soft fruit. They’re also known as caimito or cainito, hatian star (purple), blanco star (slightly smaller and green), or aguay. Throughout the world, star apple is referred to as pomme de lait, milk fruit or breast milk fruit because of the creamy latex that weeps throughout the soft flesh.

Star apples are versatile fruits that can add special oomph to just about any dish! Their scoopable, milky flesh is well suited for jams, candies, sorbets and fruity pastries. It is an excellent accompaniment to fresh cheese plates or stewed in your favorite fruit compotes. Top

The trick to having the best star apple eating experience is knowing how to slice it. You see, the inedible rind contains natural latex that can put a damper on your tastebuds if it touches too much of the delicate fruit inside.

To minimize the natural latex coming into contact with the fruit, we recommend chilling the star apple first. Then, carefully score the fruit around its circumference while avoiding the hard seeds in the center. Twist the fruit open to reveal the star shape inside that gives star apples their moniker. From there, remove the hard, pointy seeds and scoop out the milky flesh from the rind.

How to Cook Star Apple

Star apples are an especially delicate fruit, and are typically consumed raw in fresh and frozen recipes. They can hold their own when the heat turns up, too! Here are some of the most common ways to cook star apples:

• Confection: The bright, delicate and creamy flesh and sweet flavor that’s expected of the sapote family of fruits was made for sweet treats. In fact, it’s often served with sweetened condensed milk. Star apples can be used in jams, candies, jellies and more.
• Baking: Toss star apples with berries or citrus fruits to cook into a compote or pie filling.

your salads, granola and yogurt bowls with star fruit, or chop it into your next ceviche.

Star apples are a slightly more advanced fruit experience, best handled by adults and big kids. Their thick, leathery rinds contain natural latex that can be a real turn off to your taste buds if too much comes in contact with the fruit. But no need to fear! Slicing one like a pro is easy, and your friends at FruitStand will tell you how! 

How to prepare your star apple will depend on the recipe you’re using. Here are the most common ways to prepare star apples.