There’s a fruit that tastes like chocolate pudding. Yes, you heard right! Many might be wondering how this is possible. Join me as we embark on a journey to find out more about the fruit “Black Sapote” which is said to have the same taste as a chocolate pudding.
Black sapote is rich in antioxidants, black sapote is a tropical fruit that resembles a flattened tomato and tastes like chocolate pudding.
The origins of black sapote
Black sapote is popular in Central America, where it is found mainly in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Guatemala. It is a species of persimmon grown from an evergreen tree native to those Central American countries but is also cultivated in Florida and Australia.
Where can Black Sapote be found?
Black sapote is native to Mexico, Central America, and western South America. The Mayas called it tauch, the Aztecs, tzapoti, and they spread it around Central America, while the Spanish colonists brought the fruit to the Caribbean, parts of the Philippines, and Indonesia.
Stateside today, it’s cultivated in Hawaii and South Florida. “Black sapote thrives in warm subtropical and tropical climates like Florida,” says Morales. “It is not widely grown and usually consumed by locals familiar with the fruit.”
That said, both Morales and Lara ship nationwide and have found ardent fans of black sapote and other tropical fruits far from the palm trees and postcard-perfect beaches of Miami.
“Pretty much the whole country is filled with people with greenhouses that want to grow black sapote or mango or guava—even in greenhouses in Minnesota!” says Lara. Adds Morales: “For consumers looking for rare fruit, black sapote is highly sought-after.”
What Does It Taste Like?
Black sapote’s flavor is similar to a low-sugar chocolate pudding or chocolate whipped cream, says Lara. Morales notes that the flesh is a dark brown chocolatey color with a custard-like texture similar to avocado. “It has a medley of tastes that can best be described as a sweet, subtle flavor, with a hint of butternut squash and a honey finish,” she says.
That sweetness, Lara adds, doesn’t announce itself straightaway. “You don’t get the sugar till the aftertaste—it takes your palate a few moments to get a taste of the sugar, and once your palate picks it up, it’s really sweet.”
When Black Sapote Is in Season—And How to Tell When It’s Ripe
In Florida, black sapote is harvested from late November through February or March. The fruit is picked and shipped when it’s still hard and the skin is olive-green. It takes anywhere from five to 14 days to ripen at room temperature. And, once ripe, it can be refrigerated for up to a week.
As it softens, the fruit develops a faint sweet aroma and wrinkly skin. “You have to wait until they are dark brown, almost black, then, that’s it, you go at it, grab a spoon, and start scooping it out,” says Lara.
How to Use Black Sapote
Delicious on its own, black sapote is also a versatile ingredient. “Black sapote can be enjoyed raw or as part of a nutritious yet decadent dessert,” says Morales. “It’s commonly used for brownies, and it also emulsifies well for ice cream and makes a great smoothie.”
“In Mexico, they blend it together with orange juice and serve it as a refreshment,” says Lara. In Central America and especially Mexico, he says, it’s also made into a pudding with roasted peanuts and a splash of rum.
At home, Lara also uses black sapote to unleash his culinary creativity. He makes black sapote milkshakes fortified with a tablespoon of cream cheese, and he dehydrates it, too, which makes it chewy and interesting. His neighbor, he adds, swaps black sapote for the bananas in banana bread. The fruits have a similar consistency. “It’s excellent,” he says.
Nutritional facts about black sapote
The black sapote has the peculiarity of having the taste and the color of the chocolate. But with way fewer calories: 45 for 100 grams (compared to 530 calories for 100 grams of chocolate).
Another advantage? This chocolate pudding fruit is rich in vitamins A and C. In Central America, a kilo of black sapotes costs around 2 euros. That’s much cheaper (not to mention healthier) than a kilo of chocolate bars.
Another fun fact: this delicacy has no botanical links to other fruits called sapote. “Black sapote is not at all related to mamey sapote or white sapote,” says Morales.
Julian Lara, owner of Lara Farms Miami, which specializes in rare tropical fruit trees and fruits in South Miami-Dade County’s agricultural district, says that the word sapote can apply to a range of fruits. “Sapote is an Indigenous word in Central America, where it’s from, and it means sweet, soft fruit.”
