Appearance:

• Shape: Typically round or heart-shaped, about the size of a tennis ball to a small apple (7-12 cm in diameter).

• Skin: The most distinctive feature is its skin, which is segmented and covered with prominent, knobby, scale-like carpels (or "bumps"). When ripe, these scales separate slightly, indicating readiness. The color is usually green to bluish-green, sometimes with a pale yellowish tinge when very ripe.

• Flesh: Inside, the flesh is creamy white or off-white, soft, and granular, with a custard-like consistency. It's interspersed with numerous shiny, hard, dark brown or black, inedible seeds.

• Core: There's usually a small, central fibrous core.

Flavor Profile & Aroma:

• Taste: Intensely sweet with a rich, aromatic flavor often described as a blend of custard, pineapple, banana, and strawberry. It has a unique tropical sweetness.

• Aroma: A very fragrant and sweet aroma that becomes more pronounced as the fruit ripens.

Texture:

• Flesh: Extremely soft, creamy, and succulent when ripe, almost melting in the mouth. It's often compared directly to custard in texture.

• Seeds: The presence of many seeds means you often need to pick them out or eat carefully.

Seasonality & Availability (in Kochi, Kerala):

• Custard apples thrive in tropical and subtropical climates.

• In Kerala and other parts of India, their main season is typically during the late monsoon and post-monsoon months, from August/September to November/December. You would find them fresh in markets during this period.

Other Notable Characteristics & Uses:

• Ripeness Indicator: A ripe sugar apple will feel soft when gently squeezed, and the outer segments will start to separate slightly. It should also emit a sweet aroma.

• Eating Method: Best eaten fresh by simply breaking open the fruit and scooping out the creamy pulp with a spoon, carefully avoiding the seeds.

• Culinary Uses:

  • Fresh Consumption: Primarily eaten fresh.

  • Desserts: Excellent for making ice creams, milkshakes, smoothies, and puddings due to its natural sweetness and creamy texture.

  • Traditional Uses: In traditional medicine systems, various parts of the plant are used for their medicinal properties.

• Nutritional Value: A good source of Vitamin C (immune support), Vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, and dietary fiber.

Custard Apple (Annona reticulata - Bullock's Heart)

While less common than Annona squamosa for fresh consumption, this variety is also called "custard apple" and has distinct features.

Appearance:

• Shape: Typically heart-shaped or roundish, often larger than the sugar apple.

• Skin: Smoother skin than Annona squamosa, often with shallow indentations or a slightly quilted appearance, giving it a somewhat "reticulated" (net-like) pattern. The color can be reddish-brown, yellowish, or even greenish.

• Flesh: Reddish-yellow to creamy yellow, with a texture that is indeed very soft and custard-like, but often less sweet and sometimes a bit more fibrous than the sugar apple.

• Seeds: Contains numerous dark brown seeds.

Flavor Profile & Texture:

• Taste: Sweetish, but generally milder and sometimes less aromatic than the sugar apple. Can occasionally have a slightly gritty texture or a less distinct flavor.

• Texture: Very soft and creamy, hence the "custard" name.

Availability: Found in tropical regions, including parts of India.

In summary, when most people in Kochi refer to "Custard Apple," they are likely thinking of the Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa) – a wonderfully sweet, creamy, and aromatic fruit with a distinctive segmented green skin, perfect for fresh eating and delightful desserts.