September is a month that does not always announce itself with a dramatic change of fruit basket inhabitants. In India, several tropical fruits continue to appear across different regions as the seasons overlap, and chikoo, or sapodilla, is one of them. The fruit is cultivated widely across India, including West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. In tropical conditions, sapota can flower and fruit for much of the year, with distinct periods of heavier flowering and harvesting, depending on the growing region and its geography.
However, September–November remains one of the more important harvest windows of the unassuming-looking, brown fruit. As a result, this month has a particularly good excuse to look at chikoo differently. Instead of eating it straight from the fruit bowl or blending it into the familiar milkshake, why not let its naturally candy-like sweetness and soft, almost custardy texture do something more interesting? You will be pleasantly surprised to find chikoo surprisingly cooperative in desserts. It can be puréed into mousse, folded into cream, or transformed into a glossy dessert filling.
And because ripe sapodilla is highly perishable, turning an especially generous haul into something delicious can be a rather sensible kitchen strategy. Research describes the fruit as climacteric and prone to rapid spoilage after ripening, which is one more reason why such creative and multi-ingredient preparations have attracted attention. So, put the predictable chikoo smoothie aside for a weekend and explore these six more playful ways to make the most of the fruit.
Sapota September: Creative Chikoo Recipes That Make You Whip Out Your Apron
Chikoo, Coffee And Dark Chocolate Mousse
Chikoo's caramel-like sweetness and coffee's roasted bitterness make an unusually grown-up combination. Add dark chocolate to the mix, and you have a dessert that tastes far more elaborate than it actually is. It is rich, but not aggressively sweet.
Image credit: Pexels
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 3 ripe chikoo, peeled and deseeded;
- 100g dark chocolate; 200ml whipping cream;
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder;
- 1 tbsp icing sugar;
- A pinch of salt.
Method
- Purée your chikoo until smooth.
- Then melt the chocolate gently and stir in the espresso powder and salt.
- Time to whip the chilled cream with icing sugar until soft peaks form.
- Now, fold the chocolate into the cream, followed by the chikoo purée.
- Finally, divide into four glasses and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.
Chikoo And Coconut Panna Cotta
Coconut milk brings freshness to chikoo's unique taste, while a little cardamom keeps the dessert comfortably at home. It is creamy without becoming heavy, with the former tropical fruit providing a clean contrast to the almost malty sweetness of the fruit.
Image credit: Pexels
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 3 ripe chikoo, puréed;
- 250ml coconut milk;
- 100ml cream;
- 3 tbsp sugar;
- 1 tsp agar-agar powder;
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder;
- Toasted coconut to serve.
Method
- Heat your coconut milk, cream, sugar, and agar-agar, and keep whisking until the agar-agar dissolves properly.
- Then simmer the mix according to the agar-agar packet instructions, if any, or use personal culinary intuition.
- Time to remove the mix from heat and stir in cardamom and chikoo purée.
- Finally, pour into four moulds or glasses and refrigerate until set, and serve chilled.
Also read: Baking With Chikoo This Summer? Avoid These Sweetness Mistakes
Salted Chikoo-Caramel Tart
This is the one for people who think chikoo belongs in a fruit bowl rather than a pastry case. A crisp biscuit crust carries a luscious layer of lightly salted caramel and smooth chikoo cream. The salt stops the dessert from becoming cloyingly sweet, while the crumbly crust gives the soft fruit filling some much-needed texture.
Image credit: Pexels
Ingredients (Serves 6)
- 180g digestive biscuits, crushed;
- 70g melted butter;
- 3 ripe chikoo;
- 150g cream cheese;
- 100ml whipping cream;
- 2 tbsp icing sugar;
- 3 tbsp thick caramel sauce;
- ½ tsp sea salt.
Method
- Mix your biscuit crumbs with butter and press into a small tart tin. Chill the tin for 30 minutes.
- Now blend chikoo, cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth.
- Also, whip your cream separately and then fold it through the chikoo mixture.
- Finally, spread your homemade caramel over the crust, sprinkle lightly with sea salt and top with the chikoo cream. Chill the treat for around two hours before serving.
Chikoo And Goat Cheese Crostini
A sweet and savoury appetiser gives chikoo a rather unexpected job to do. A crisp toasted baguette is topped with creamy goat cheese, thin slices of ripe chikoo and a little honey, with black pepper cutting through the fruit’s natural sweetness. The resultant flavour combo is soft, tangy, crunchy, and just unusual enough to make an excellent party starter.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1 small baguette, sliced into 12 pieces;
- 120g soft goat cheese;
- 2 ripe chikoo, peeled, deseeded and thinly sliced;
- 1 tbsp honey;
- 1 tsp lemon juice;
- 1 tbsp chopped walnuts;
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper;
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves;
- 1 tbsp olive oil.
Method
- Brush your baguette slices lightly with olive oil and toast them in a preheated oven at 180°C for 7–9 minutes until crisp and golden.
- Now, mix the chikoo slices gently with lemon juice to brighten their sweetness.
- Then spread goat cheese generously over each toasted baguette slice and top with a few slices of the chikoo.
- Finally, drizzle with honey, then scatter walnuts, black pepper and thyme over every crostini. Serve immediately.
Also read: 6 Chikoo Dishes You Can Prepare At Home This Summer
Chikoo Crumble With Ginger And Oats
A crumble is one of the easiest ways to rescue overripe fruits, and chikoo is always a wonderfully soft filling, due to its natural texture. The trick is to prevent it from becoming overwhelmingly sweet. Ginger and lime sharpen the fruit, while the oat walnut topping provides a nutty, buttery contrast. You can serve this warm with plain yoghurt instead of ice cream, if you want a less decadent finish.
Image credit: Pexels
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 5 ripe chikoo, peeled and chopped;
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger;
- 1 tsp lime juice;
- 60g rolled oats;
- 40g wholemeal flour;
- 40g cold butter;
- 30g brown sugar;
- 30g chopped walnuts.
Method
- Toss your chikoo with ginger and lime juice and then place its pieces in a baking dish.
- On the other hand, rub butter into the flour before stirring in oats, sugar and walnuts.
- Finally, scatter the mix all over the fruit and bake at 180°C for 25–30 minutes, until bubbling and golden.
Chikoo, Cinnamon And Cold Brew Frappe
Think of this as a cold coffee that has wandered into dessert territory. Chikoo brings a naturally malty, caramel-like sweetness to cold brew, while cinnamon gives the drink a gentle spiced warmth beneath all that ice. The drink is creamy without needing a large amount of sugar.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 2 ripe chikoo, peeled and deseeded;
- 250ml cold brew coffee;
- 150ml chilled milk;
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey;
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon;
- 1 cup ice cubes;
- 2 tbsp fresh cream, for topping;
- A pinch of cinnamon, to finish.
Method
- Blend your chikoo, cold brew coffee, chilled milk, maple syrup (or honey), cinnamon, and ice until completely smooth and frothy.
- Taste-test and add a little more sweetener if the chikoo is not particularly sugary.
- Then pour into two chilled glasses and top each with a spoonful of fresh cream.
- Finish the drinks with a light dusting of cinnamon and serve immediately.