October 19, 2017

Tropical Pawpaw Caramel Sauce

Pawpaws- the soft, sweet, caramelly, custard-like, tropical fruit found across the decidedly non-tropical tasting fruit. The caramel hints inspired me to use the pawpaw, along with coconut milk, to give a common caramel sauce a tropical touch. This pawpaw caramel sauce can be drizzled over vegan ice cream, pie or desserts, flavor lattes, smoothies or hot chocolate or substitute maple syrup on pancakes or waffles. I’ve even made a batch of this and poured it over oats before baking it to make a delicious pawpaw granola!

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This post was last updated 3/9/24, but no changes were made to the recipe.

What is a Pawpaw?

I’m so glad you asked! Pawpaw is a little bit of magical, custard-like sweetness that is native to the Eastern and Central parts of the United States and parts of Canada. Papayas are also sometimes called pawpaws, but these are different- their scientific name is Asimina triloba. They grow on trees around 25 feet tall with large, shiny dark green leaves. The fruit grows on the branches in small clusters, often 2-3 to a cluster. They are a light green that turn green-yellow and then purple-ish as they ripen, and are sort of lumpy. They ripen around mid-September (depending on where you live), and become soft and fall from the tree. One of the reasons pawpaws aren’t really sold commercially is because of how easily they bruise when ripe. They are actually the largest fruit native to North America, and have a sort of mango-like, tropical, custard flavor. You can check out this guide to help you make an ID.

Disclaimer- use caution when foraging wild edibles, and always be certain of your identification. While I assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided on this site, I can’t be responsible for the accuracy of your information. Consult multiple websites, books and local experts, and when it doubt, do without.

When eating pawpaws, scoop out the flesh to avoid the skins and seeds. Some people have trouble digesting pawpaws, so make sure you eat a small amount before you go pawpaw-crazy.

The Problem with Pawpaws

For those of you who have never had a pawpaw, they are a large, creamy, custardy-like fruit native to North America. They have a pervasive, mango-banana, slightly floral with the slightest hint of citrus flavor. The ripen sometime around August-October, but you are very unlikely to find them in a grocery store. Unfortunately, the pawpaw has a pretty short shelf-life, and is easily banged up- it wouldn’t last long being piled up for transportation. Additionally, it goes from totally unripe to over-ripe in a matter of a few days, turning from a dull lime green to a mushy, purplish-black. In order to preserve them, I use two techniques- the first is to remove the seeds and skins, puree, and then freeze. The second is to use them- ASAP (see below for a few ideas on that!). This caramel sauce was another attempt of mine to make the autumn pawpaw last all year round- the sugar-incased pawpaw sauce that should stay good in the fridge for months to come.

Looking for Pawpaw Recipes? Try one of these!

How to Make Pawpaw Caramel Sauce

The process is fairly simple- first puree your pawpaw into a smooth, viscous state. Caramelize the sugar by mixing it with water, and allowing it to boil, letting it bubble until the color has darkened. Don’t mix it- this will cause the sugar to crystalize by incorporating air. Instead, occasionally gently swish the liquid in the pot to let the sugar caramelize evenly, without allowing air in. Mix in the pawpaw, and heat again. Lastly, turn off the heat and add coconut cream to the mix. This will take the sweet syrup to a level creaminess that the sugar and pawpaw alone could not provide. Plus, it adds to the tropical taste of the caramel sauce. Store in the fridge- this will turn the caramel sauce to a solid state. You can return it to a liquid texture by microwaving it for around 30 seconds.