2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The chocolate apple / Diospyros digyna / is a beautiful tree, distributed from Guatemala to Mexico. It is also known as black apple and chocolate pudding. In his native country, the chocolate apple reaches a height of 10 meters.
The tree is covered with light green decorative leaves, and the branches and trunk are dark brown. The chocolate apple is known for its spherical fruits, which are shaped like a tomato, changing color from green to brown after ripening.
Ripe fruits have a pleasant, creamy flesh. The fruit is a close relative of the famous paradise apple in our country. As a typical representative of the tropics, the chocolate apple tolerates heat very well, but provided that it is provided with the necessary humidity.
Recently it is gaining wide popularity due to the possibility of growing in greenhouses and conservatories. The chocolate apple loves moist and slightly acidic soils rich in organic compounds.
It is propagated by seeds, and the plants usually begin to bear fruit after the sixth year. In order to induce earlier harvests, in some cases targeted pruning is done.
The colors of chocolate apple are yellow-greenish, but against the background of the abundant foliage that the tree has, they are almost invisible. Flowering lasts a short time, after which the fruits appear. Over time, they weigh on the twigs and gradually begin to fall to the ground.
When the fruit is fully ripe, the branches reach its surface. In most cases, the chocolate apple bears so much fruit that the tree cannot feed it. If the tree is very weak, there is a danger that the whole crop will fall to the ground.
The unripe fruits of chocolate apple have a shiny surface, bright green color and are very hard. When they reach the size of a large apple, their diameter is about 8-12 cm and the color begins to change to the characteristic brown color. Fully ripe fruits weigh between 700-900 g.
Composition of chocolate apple
100 g chocolate apple contain up to 12-15 g of carbohydrates, 22 mg of calcium, 0.7 g of protein, 191 mg of vitamin C, 0.19 mg of carotene, 0.03 mg of vitamin B2, 23 mg of phosphorus, 0.2 mg of vitamin B3. The fat content of the fruit is negligible.
Collection and storage of chocolate apple
The fruits are picked when they are completely browned and have already softened from very hard ones. Their surface should be dark and the flesh should be almost black. The taste of the chocolate apple is reminiscent of chocolate, but only when the fruit is fully ripe, otherwise it is bitter.
After picking the chocolate apples, the twigs on which there were fruits must be removed. Only shoots are left on which there were no ties. So next year they will be involved in the process of fruiting.
The chocolate apple it must be stored very carefully, avoiding damage to its surface. If they are not fully ripe, the fruit should not be refrigerated. Ripe fruits are stored for several days in the refrigerator, but deep freezing is preferable. Stored in the freezer, the chocolate apple can retain its qualities for up to half a year.
Cooking with chocolate apple
The chocolate apple is consumed mostly raw, as a substitute for chocolate. Its taste is perfectly complemented by orange juice and brandy. Aromatic fruits are part of many juices, shakes, pastries and cocktails.
In Mexico, for example, the most popular recipe for eating the delicious fruit is a dessert puree with mashed chocolate apple with a mixture of brandy or orange juice, wine, cream, cinnamon and sugar.
Benefits of chocolate apple
Due to its taste, this fruit is a great substitute for chocolate. In addition, the chocolate apple is very useful. It is low in fat, which makes it suitable for weight loss regimens.
This natural delicacy contains four times more vitamin C than orange, which makes it an indispensable source of this valuable vitamin for the body.
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