It's summer, and tropical fruits are at their peak this season. Head on to your nearest market, get a papaya and make this fun and healthy dessert- perfect for kids (and adults) of all ages.
By Liliana Moyano for Shine Latina
Papaya con crema
Papaya, mango and pineapple are always a must in my fridge. I usually cut them into small chunks, store them in individual glass containers and have them for snacks in the afternoon or after a good workout.
My nieces, ages two and four, love coming to la casa de Tia Nini (Aunt Nini's house); first thing they do is aim for the fridge to see what goodies I have. Last week my best friend bought me a box of Hawaiian sorbets that come in real fruit containers. Some of them come inside an empty coconut, a hollow orange or even a little pineapple "boat". We ate a couple of them, washed the containers and saved them in the freezer to use later. So, when my nieces came to visit, I made them a delicious and simple low calorie desert. I took fresh papaya and a blend of crema de leche (table cream) and mango yogurt, and served it inside the pineapple boat, reusing the one I had in the freezer. It was a hit! And it was so satisfying to see my girls enjoying something much healthier than a high calorie ice cream. Using the pineapple as the serving dish made for a fun and pretty presentation.
This papaya con crema goes perfect after my delicious churrasco
Ingredients
(2 servings)
Papaya con crema
1 fresh pineapple, cut in half and scraped or scraped sorbet container as mentioned above
½ cup mango yogurt
¼ cup table cream (I use Nestle's Media Crema)
10 oz papaya, chopped
2 oz queso blanco, grated
Directions
Cut the pineapple in half and remove the pulp, making sure not to scrape too deep; this will be your serving dish. Chop the pineapple meat into chunks, store in a resealable bag and place in the freezer or refrigerator for later use.
In a small bowl, mix the yogurt and Media Crema until fully blended. Place the papaya chunks inside the pineapple container and pour the yogurt-crema blend over the papaya. Sprinkle with fresh grated queso blanco.
Notes
Papaya con crema
- Table cream is thicker than half-and-half so it works better here. If you don't have access to this product, try mixing Yoplait original yogurt with half-and-half; or whipped cream with your chosen yogurt flavor.
- Queso blanco can be substituted for shredded mozzarella or your favorite white cheese.
