Try these Recipes using subtropical plants obtainable from Subtropica

Cherimoya Soufflé and Orange Sauce
Cherimoya Daiquiri
Cherimoya Chiffon Pie
Cherimoya Sherbet
Cherimoya Ice Cream
Casimiroa Bread Pudding
Casimiroa Cheese Slice
Casimiroa Soufflé

Casimiroa Biscuits

Kei Apple Jam

Macadamia & Casimiroa Tart
Tamarillo Chutney

Tamarillo and Vietnamese mint sauce
Tropical Apricot Chutney

Tropical Apricot and Apple Jelly

Cherimoya Soufflé

6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup cherimoya puree

Place egg whites in large clean mixer bowl, allow to stand at room temperature. Prepare 1 1/2 litre soufflé dish by greasing with butter and coating with sugar; refrigerate dish.
In a small sauce pan combine 2 tablespoons sugar and flour; add milk and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thickened.
Beat egg yolks; beat small amount of hot sauce into yolks, return egg mixture to hot sauce. Continue to cook over low heat until sauce thickens, cool slightly. Stir in cherimoya puree. Beat egg whites to soft peaks, gradually add 1 tablespoon sugar while beating to stiff peaks.
Thoroughly combine approximately 1 cup beaten whites with sauce. Pour sauce, one-fourth at a time, over beaten whites while gently folding sauce into whites. Pour into prepared soufflé dish and bake in centre of preheated 375 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes Serve with orange sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Orange Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
dash salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon butter

In a small saucepan, mix together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in orange juice; cook, stirring constantly until sauce thickens and clears. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Makes 1 cup.

Cherimoya Daiquiri

4 ounces light rum
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ounce Curacao
3/4 cup chopped cherimoya
1 ounce lime juice
2 cups crushed ice

Put all ingredients into blender container. Blend until thick, frosty and smooth. Makes 2 servings.

Cherimoya Chiffon Pie

Chocolate Biscuit Crust (see below)
11/2 cups pureed cherimoya
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh orange or lime juice
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons sugar
1 envelope unflavoured gelatine
1 cup cream

Biscuit Crust

11/2 cups finely-crushed chocolate biscuit crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter

Mix biscuit crumbs with melted butter. Press crumbs evenly over bottom and sides of 10-inch pie dish. Bake in 400F or 190C oven 8-9 minutes or microwave on high (100 percent power) 11/2 minutes. Let cool.

Filling

Mash cherimoya by pressing it through a large mesh strainer with fingers. Discard seeds. Dissolve gelatine in water; let sit 5 minutes. Stir dissolved gelatine into cherimoya-juice mixture and let sit until thick. Meanwhile, beat cream to firm peaks. Beat egg whites until almost firm; add 6 tablespoons sugar, one at a time. Constantly beat resultant meringue until firm, not dry. Beat whipped cream and meringue into jelled cherimoya mixture. Pour filling into prepared biscuit crust and refrigerate until serving. Garnish with extra biscuit crumbs if desired.

Cherimoya Sherbet

2 eggs, separated
3 1/2 cups cherimoya, seeded and pureed,
pinch of salt
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 litre buttermilk (low-fat or whole)

In bowl, beat yolks, salt and 1/2 cup sugar until light and lemon-coloured. Gradually add cherimoya flesh. Add another cup sugar and beat until sugar dissolves. Blend in buttermilk. In another bowl (at least 3-litre size), beat whites to the soft peak stage and add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until firm, but not dry. Gradually fold buttermilk mixture into whites. Pour into an ice cream maker (1-gallon or larger; hand-crank or electric). Process until frozen. Makes 2 1/2 litres sherbet.

Cherimoya Ice Cream

2 cups cherimoya, peeled and seeded
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups whipped cream
2/3 cup orange juice
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend cherimoya with orange juice, eggs and sugar until pureed. Add the whipped cream and vanilla and pour all in ice cream maker 1/2-gallon or larger; hand-crank or electric). Process until frozen. Makes about 7 cups ice cream.

Casimiroa Bread Pudding

6 slices stale bread
40ml grated orange or lemon peel
500ml peeled and sliced casimiroa
20ml lemon juice
20ml sugar
500ml hot milk
3ml vanilla essence
2 eggs

Discard crusts and cut bread slices into quarters.
Arrange 12 pieces covering the base of a buttered casserole dish.
Sprinkle with grated peel, add sliced casimiroa.
Sprinkle lemon juice over the fruit.
Cover with the remaining bread.
Mix sugar, milk and vanilla.
Heat in a saucepan until near boiling.
Cool slightly and then pour over the beaten eggs while stirring vigorously.
Pour custard into the casserole and leave for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle surface with a little sugar and place casserole into a baking dish with some warm water.
Bake at 180ºC for about 45 minutes.
The pudding should be firm and crusty on the surface.

Casimiroa Cheese Slice

Pastry:

500ml flour
2ml salt
40ml sugar
100g butter
1 egg

Filling:

2 eggs
60g butter
250ml cream cheese
500ml casimiroa pulp
20ml grated lemon rind
50ml lime or lemon juice

Pastry: Sift dry ingredients, rub in the butter.
Add a well beaten egg and mix well.
Knead dough on a floured board and divide into three.
Roll out two portions to cover the base and sides of a greased, 180 x 270mm loaf tin.
Prick the base and sides with a fork and bake at 180ºC for 10 minutes.
Leave to cool.

Filling: Separate eggs, set the whites aside.
Add all other ingredients to the yolks and beat for several minutes with an electric blender.
Beat egg whites until they are quite stiff and fold these into the mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pastry shell.
Use the remaining dough to cut flat 12mm pastry strips.
Arrange these in lattice fashion on top of the filling.
Return to the oven and bake for 40 minutes at 160ºC. Cool in the tin.
Refrigerate before serving.

Casimiroa Soufflé

4 egg whites
250ml mashed casimiroa
10ml lemon juice
20ml sugar
1ml salt

Whip egg whites and salt until quite stiff.
Mix casimiroa pieces with lemon juice and sugar.
Fold fruit into egg white and transfer to a buttered casserole.
Bake at 180ºC for 40 minutes, until soufflé is firm in the centre.

Serve as a dessert, hot or cold.

Casimiroa Biscuits

250g butter
100ml icing sugar
80ml casimiroa pulp
3ml vanilla essence
1ml salt
700ml flour
120ml finely chopped macadamia nuts

Cream butter and icing sugar.
Mix in fruit pulp, vanilla, and sifted dry ingredients; add nuts last.
Chill dough for 60 minutes, then shape 20mm diameter balls.
These are placed on an unprepared oven tray, and the balls are flattened with the bottom of a glass to about 8mm thickness.
To avoid sticking, first dip glass in icing sugar.
Bake at 180ºC for 20 minutes.
The biscuits may be frozen for storage.

KEI APPLE JAM

1kg kei apples [include some unripe ones]

1/2 cup water

1kg white sugar

Wash fruit and put in a large saucepan with the water.

Bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally.

Add sugar and keep stirring.

When all sugar is dissolved and the fruit is very soft, you can push the whole lot through a coarse sieve to remove the pips and skins.

Boil until a little bit will set when put on a saucer.

Bottle in sterilised jars while still hot.

Macadamia & Casimiroa Tart

120ml sugar
125ml flour
120ml chopped or flaked macadamia nuts
3ml baking powder
120ml milk
1 egg
5ml vanilla
500ml casimiroa pieces

Set aside 40ml of sugar.
Combine the remaining sugar, flour, macadamia and baking powder in a bowl.
Mix well.
Separately beat milk, egg and vanilla, then stir into the flour mixture.
Arrange casimiroa pieces in a buttered pie dish.
Pour batter over casimiroa, and sprinkle with the reserved sugar.
Bake at 180ºC for 30-35 minutes.
Serve warm or chilled with cream.

Tamarillo and Vietnamese mint sauce

Use two tamarillos per person.
Scoop them into a small saucepan, with a dessertspoon of white sugar, a dessertspoon of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, and a dessertspoon of chopped Vietnamese mint.
Bring to a simmer, add chilli (you can use the Hot Perennial Pepper) to taste, and keep at a simmer for 5 – 10 minutes.
Serve warm or cold with any meat, especially lamb, or eat on bread with cheese.
Totally yummo!

Tamarillo Chutney

2 dozen Tamarillos {Tree Tomatoes}
1lb Apples
1lb Onions
1 level tablespoon Salt
1/2 oz Allspice
2lb Brown Sugar
600ml vinegar
Dash of Cayenne - Remember the wisdom of El Grande -More is better !!!

Pour boiling water over Tamarillos to remove skin. Cut up the Onions, Apples and tamarillos finely. Add all other ingredients. Place in pan, bring to boil and continue boiling for 2 hours. Place in sterilized glass jars. Seal when cold.

Tropical Apricot Chutney

1kg tropical apricots

350g onions

400g brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp curry powder

2cups vinegar

Chop the apricots and onions. Combine all ingredients and boil on medium heat for an hour, stirring often.

Pour into clean hot jars and seal.

Tropical Apricot and Apple Jelly

Give your apple jelly a real kick!

1/2 kg apples

1/2 kg tropical apricots [include some unripe ones]

water

1kg white sugar [approx]

Wash tropical apricots, peel and chop apples,and put in a large saucepan with enough water to cover fruit.

Bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally. Boil till fruit is very soft and all juice is extracted.

Pour into a jelly bag [muslin or cotton] and hang overnight. Do NOT squeeze or it'll go cloudy.

Measure the resulting liquid, and add the same volume of sugar.

Bring to the boil, stirring to prevent sticking.

Boil until a little bit will set when put on a saucer.

Bottle in sterilised jars while still hot.