Tropical Fruit Recipes

TROPICAL FRUIT PLATTER

Steps:

• Lop green top off pineapple and place on a cutting board. Slice covering off in strips from the top down. Remove hard pineapple core with a fruit corer or simply by slicing ripe part away from the core. Cut pineapple into wedges. Remove seeds from cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew and cut ripe part of melon into half moon shapes, or into spheres with a "melon baller," or into any shape you like. Arrange fruit on a platter and garnish with whole strawberries. Can be served with fruit dipping sauce such as yogurt or honey based dressing.

TROPICAL FRUIT FLAMBé

Steps:

• Set a large pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Pour apple juice into the pan and add brown sugar; let it simmer until golden and bubbling, about 4 minutes.
• Put mango, banana, and strawberry slices in the pan with cinnamon. Stir to cover fruit with the sauce and cook for 3 minutes.
• Remove pan from the heat and add rum. Place back on the heat and use a long lighter to set it on fire. Once the flame has gone out, cook for 1 more minute.
• Divide fruit evenly between 3 bowls and top each with 1/2 scoop ice cream.

TROPICAL ISLAND FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Toss pineapple, mangos, papayas, and bananas together in a large bowl.

FROZEN TROPICAL FRUIT YOGURT

Steps:

• Put everything except the fresh fruit in a food processor and blend. Scoop straight into bowls, or tip into a container and freeze if you want to serve it later. Serve with the fresh tropical fruit and spoon over the passion fruit seeds.

TROPICAL FRUIT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, stir cake mix, butter and egg until mixed. Press in bottom of pan. Sprinkle evenly with baking chips, dried fruit, coconut and cashews; lightly press topping. Pour milk evenly over top.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until edges and center are golden brown. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows. Store covered.

TROPICAL FRUIT CAKES

Steps:

• Grease and lightly flour eight 1-cup fluted tube pans or six 4-1/2x2-1/2x1-1/2-inch individual loaf pans and set pans aside.
• In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
• In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds, add brown sugar; beat until combined.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until combined (The batter may appear curdled).
• Combine 1/4 cup rum or pineapple juice, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, the corn syrup, ginger, and vanilla.
• Add flour mixture and rum mixture alternately to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
• Fold in fruit bits and nuts.
• Spread batter in prepared pan.
• Bake in a 325 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes for fluted tube pans or 30 to 35 minutes for loaf pans or until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean.
• Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool at least 1 hour on racks.
• Poke holes in cakes using a wooden toothpick or bamboo skewer.
• Soak eight or six 8-inch-square pieces of double thickness 100-percent cotton cheesecloth with the 1/3 cup rum or pineapple juice and wrap each cake in rum- or juice-soaked cheesecloth.
• Wrap each cake tightly in foil or seal in a plastic bag.
• Chill in refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Remove foil or remove cakes from bags; drizzle with 1/4 cup rum or pineapple juice. Rewrap with foil or return to plastic bags and refrigerate at least 24 hours.
• Remove cheesecloth before serving.
• If desired, sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar. Makes 6 or 8 cakes (24 servings).
• Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare Tropical Fruit Cake as directed through until the 24 hr chill, except refrigerate up to 5 days. (Or prepare Tropical Fruit Cakes as directed through up to 24 hr chill, except do not sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place in self-sealing freezer bags. Seal, label, and freeze up to 3 months.)
• To serve, thaw frozen cakes in freezer bags in the refrigerator overnight. Serve as directed.

TROPICAL-FRUIT CREPE CAKE

Steps:

• Pastry cream: In a large sauce-pan, bring milk, coconut, and salt to just under a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand until cool, about 2 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids.
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks, then milk mixture. Stir in butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then continue to cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Pass mixture through fine-mesh sieve. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
• Crêpes: Combine flour, granulated sugar, salt, milk, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter in a blender. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Lightly brush an 8-inch non-stick skillet or crêpe pan with butter. Heat over medium until just starting to smoke. Remove from heat and pour a scant 2 tablespoons batter into center, swirling to cover bottom. Cook until edges are golden and center is dry, about 30 seconds. Flip and cook about 20 seconds more. Slide crêpe onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing skillet with more butter and adjusting heat as needed; stack crêpes as you go (you should end up with about 40). Let cool completely. Crêpes can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.
• Whisk chilled pastry cream to remove any lumps. In a medium bowl, whip 1 cup heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold into pastry cream. Place a crêpe on a flat serving dish. Spread about 1/4 cup pastry cream onto crêpe. Repeat process with remaining crêpes and pastry cream, finishing with a crêpe. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• To serve, whip remaining 1 cup heavy cream with confectioners' sugar to stiff peaks. Arrange pineapple slices on top of cake, overlapping slightly. Dollop whipped cream on top and garnish with toasted coconut.

TROPICAL FRUIT CUP

Steps:

• Halve kiwis and scoop out flesh; slice. In a bowl, peel mango and cut into chunks. Toss kiwis and mango with honey.