Tropical Fruit Salad

One of the most refreshing, not to mention quick desserts, is fruit salad. This is a unique recipe, since the fruit is dressed in a homemade creamy vanilla pudding.

The added orange zest heightens the freshness and tropical taste of this dish. I love how creamy and luscious this salad is, without being sodden with whipped cream, as most fruit salads are. In fact, my husband and I both love the pudding, and that is why I like to make extra. This recipe will yield enough pudding for at least 2 salads. This fruit salad is perfect to serve as a palate cleanser at the end of a meal and will get oohs and ahhs from guests.

Yields: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

4 peaches or nectarines, peeled and cut into ¾ -1 inch cubes

1 small, or half of a large  pineapple, cut into ¾ - 1 inch cubes

4 oranges, sectioned, plus 1/4/ teaspoon of zest for the pudding

3 bananas, sliced

2-3 apples, peeled and chopped into ¼-1/2 inch slices

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 teaspoon lemon juice, for the apples and bananas

Vanilla pudding:

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 Tablespoons sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

3 ½ cups half and half

3 egg yolks

1-2 Tablespoons butter

¼ teaspoons orange zest

To make the pudding: Whisk together cornstarch, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour in the cream and add the yolks. Whisk to combine. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened and the pudding coats the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the butter and the orange zest. Cool.

Prep all the fruit, leaving the apples and bananas for last. I have two separate posts describing the way to Section An Orange and How To Peel Peaches. Chop the fruit into pretty small pieces. When all the fruit is chopped, cut the apples and bananas and toss gently in ½ cup water and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, which will prevent the fruit from turning brown too quickly. Drain well. Toss all the fruit together. Add the mini marshmallows and about 1 - 1 ½ cups of the vanilla pudding. Toss to coat.

Make Ahead:

You can prep all the fruit ahead of time, except the apples and bananas, which should always be added at the last minute. You can also make the pudding ahead of time. Store in separate containers in the refrigerator and toss together at the last minute before serving. As I already mentioned, you will have much more pudding than you need for this salad. Store in the refrigerator and make more fresh fruit salad the next day.

Tropical Fruit Salad

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• Author: Olga's Flavor Factory
• Category: Sweets

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 peaches or nectarines, peeled and cut into ¾ -1 inch cubes
• 1 small, or half of a large pineapple, cut into ¾ - 1 inch cubes
• 4 oranges, sectioned, plus 1/4/ teaspoon of zest for the pudding
• 3 bananas, sliced
• 2-3 apples, peeled and chopped into ¼-½ inch slices
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, for the apples and bananas
• Vanilla pudding:
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 3 ½ cups half and half
• 3 egg yolks
• 1-2 Tablespoons butter
• ¼ teaspoons orange zest

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Instructions

Pudding:

1. Whisk together cornstarch, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan.
2. Pour in the cream and add the yolks. Whisk to combine.
3. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened and the pudding coats the back of a spoon.
4. Turn off the heat.
5. Whisk in the butter and the orange zest. Cool.

Preparation:

1. Prep all the fruit, leaving the apples and bananas for last. Chop the fruit into pretty small pieces.
2. When all the fruit is chopped, cut the apples and bananas and toss gently in ½ cup water and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, which will prevent the fruit from turning brown too quickly. Drain well.
3. Toss all the fruit together.
4. Add the mini marshmallows and about 1 - 1 ½ cups of the vanilla pudding.
5. Toss to coat.

Make Ahead:

1. You can prep all the fruit ahead of time, except the apples and bananas, which should always be added at the last minute. You can also make the pudding ahead of time. Store in separate containers in the refrigerator and toss together at the last minute before serving. As I already mentioned, you will have much more pudding than you need for this salad. Store in the refrigerator and make more fresh fruit salad the next day.