This is all about a flavor sensation: pawpaw. They are the only native to America tropical fruit. Looks like a small funky green mango. tastes like a banana and a mango had a baby but with a touch of wild toasted coconut flavor. Squishy soft yellow flesh with dark brown seeds embedded in its flesh. Its skin can look pretty mangy but when you peel the skin off the insides are ripe and perfect for eating. They are not sold commercially as their season is very short and they are a delicate fruit that doesn’t travel well. They grow in the wild in the woods in the mid-Atlantic states, but I know someone with 2 trees, and they share with me. The first few times I ate it I was not sure I liked it; too weird a flavor. I persevered at eating a few and grew to find them interesting eaten fresh. Eventually I fell completely in love with these squishy treats.

I mostly eat them raw, but I am branching out this fall. I made a pawpaw pie yesterday, tasty especially with a dollop of freshly whipped cream on top. The other week I made a batch of pawpaw jam. Very tasty it was. This ice cream is my latest thing. I took an ice cream recipe out of my old Betty Crocker cookbook and revised it and made a small 1/3 batch.

I used coconut palm sugar and that gave it a delicate caramel flavor that was very appealing. You could use brown sugar or even plain white sugar if you can’t get the coconut palm sugar, but it won’t be as delicious. I also use the coconut palm sugar as it is low on the hypoglycemic index making it a healthy choice for a pre-diabetic diet.

It needs heavy cream for that rich texture and flavor. I don’t have any suggestions for a substitute. If you get your hands on some pawpaws, this is the recipe to try out with them!

PawPaw Caramel Ice-Cream

1/3 cup whole milk

2 Tbsp. coconut palm sugar

a pinch of sea salt

1 large or extra large egg yolk

1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream.

Directions: pour the milk, sugar and sea salt in a medium 1 qt sauce pan, add the egg yolk, Beat with a whisk constantly as you heat it on medium heat. Once the outside edge has lots of tiny bubbles turn it off, add the vanilla and the cream. Pour in a dish and chill in the fridge until cold; at least an hour.

Peel and seed 1-3 pawpaws until you have a heaping half cup of pulp. Chop up with a knife. Add to the custard and pour in your ice cream maker; I have a Donvier hand crank machine; French and a tiny capacity so this small recipe is as much as I can make in it for a batch. You could easily double or triple this recipe for a bigger ice cream maker. Turn until firm and then scrape into a freezer container and chill 1-2 hours to allow it to ripen. Enjoy!