Babaco Fruit Recipes and Facts
Ecuadorian Mountain Papaya (Champagne Fruit) as Dessert or Juice
A relative of the papaya, babaco (also known as mountain papaya and champagne fruit) is native to the cool, subtropical and highland zones of Ecuador. Its thin trunk, palm-tree shaped leaves, and vertically hanging torpedo-shaped fruit can add a touch of the exotic to sunny, frost-free gardens.
Basic Facts
The babaco plant prefers sun and well-drained soil, and although it can support cooler temperatures, it needs to be planted in a frost-free zone. The fruit of the plant is large, about a foot long (30 cm). The tree can grow to about 6 feet high, and as the trunk is rather long and thin, with fruit growing in clusters towards the top, it can topple easily in high winds. In addition, the babaco fruit itself is quite heavy, and weaker branches may break off if too many fruits accumulate at one site.
Harvesting the Fruit
The fruit should be harvested at the first sign of yellowing. It will ripen off the plant and has a long shelf-life, keeping for up to a month. The fruit is ripe and ready to eat when it is uniformly yellow.
Babaco is best appreciated when cooked with a little sugar, as it is a bit bland when raw. Dulce de babaco, an easy recipe using just three ingredients, is one of the most popular ways Ecuadorians enjoy this papaya-like fruit.
Babaco in Syrup (Dulce de babaco)
Ingredients:
- 1 whole babaco, peeled and cubed
- 1 – 1 ½ cup white sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 2 tbs orange juice (optional)
Procedure:
- Put all of the ingredients in a large Dutch oven and let boil on medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and let cool.
- Serve cool or cold. Refrigerate any unused portions for up to five days.
Serve as a delicious topping for ice cream, or plain as a simple, refreshing dessert after a large meal.
Babaco Juice
Babaco juice is also common in Ecuador, since it is very economical (the plant can produce from 25 to 100 fruits a year).
Procedure
- Put ½ babaco fruit, cut and peeled, in a blender with 4 cups of water.
- Add 1 cup of white sugar (adjust amount if necessary) and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Babaco in Lemon Juice
Although Ecuadorians tend to eat babaco cooked, it may also be eaten raw. This recipe can be whipped up in less than five minutes, no cooking involved.
Ingredients
- 1 babaco fruit, peeled and cubed (remove any seeds)
- 3 small limes (key lime is best)
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
Procedure
- Squeeze the lime juice over the cut babaco. Stir in sugar.
- Let rest for a couple of hours and then serve at room temperature.
Pie filling
Babaco can be substituted for half of any fruit portion in a fruit pie. It pairs well with apples and strawberries. Because it is very tender and juicy, it releases more water than apples as it bakes, so adding a little bit more cornstarch to the recipe can help counteract this.
