13 Exotic Tropical Fruits You've Never Heard Of: Why Rambutan Will Amaze Your Taste Buds

11. Cupuaçu: The Amazon's Chocolate Fruit

Native to the Amazon jungle, cupuaçu, or "koo-poo-ah-soo," is a big, oblong fruit. Often referred to as the "chocolate fruit" of the Amazon, cupuaçu is connected to cocoa but has a rather different taste character. The tough brown shell of the fruit shields a creamy white flesh with a sophisticated taste combining pear, chocolate, and pineapple with a faint trace of banana. Cupuaçu stands out for its creamy, buttery texture and great harmony in mixing sweet and sour tastes. Like cocoa beans, the fruit's big seeds can be ground to produce a cupulate product—that is, white chocolate. Not only is cupuaçu a great treat, but it also loads nutrients with high concentrations of vitamin C, B vitamins, and antioxidants.

Cupuaçu has long been utilised in traditional medicine in its natural areas, said to strengthen the immune system and supply vitality. The fruit is remarkably flexible in the kitchen; it may be used in jams, ice cream, juices, even savoury sauces. Attractive to vegans and people with lactose intolerance, its natural creaminess makes it a great basis for dairy-free treats. Cupuaçu is becoming more and more known worldwide as knowledge of Amazonian superfoods spreads. Both food producers and chefs will find great excitement in this unusual taste and nutritional value. Cupuaçu is already a somewhat common taste for beverages, ice cream, and sweets in Brazil. Frozen and exported, the pulp of the fruit lets people all over enjoy its distinctive taste. Agroforestry systems in the Amazon benefit much from cupuaçu trees, which help to protect the rainforest and provide a sustainable revenue source for nearby people. Cupuaçu is likely to become a more famous name in international cuisine as demand in exotic and sustainable foods rises since it provides a taste of the Amazon to inquisitive foodies all around.