The “Chocolate Fruit” Black Sapote

Here at Hippocrates we are blessed to have well over one hundred fruiting trees of more than thirty different varieties spread out all over our fifty acre campus. These trees combined with our many thousands of ornamental trees, bushes, plants, vegetable gardens, and herb gardens make for a beautiful tropical oasis intended to create a beautiful, peaceful, serene, and healing environment. I harvest our food bearing trees in season throughout the year and take the fruit to the kitchen for the benefit of our guests.

One of our trees is the black sapote otherwise known as the “Chocolate Fruit” because it tastes like chocolate! The black sapote tree (Diospyros nigra) a species of persimmon, is a rare tropical exotic native to the Caribbean and tropical areas of Central America. The black sapote fruit contains a fair amount of vitamin A, Vitamin C, a relatively high amount of potassium as well as other vitamins and minerals. The tree requires warmer climates and will not tolerate heavy frost.

The tree can be propagated from the seed which may take up to 30 days to germinate. It likes lots of water so you may want to plan on regular irrigation during the dry season. While the black sapote tree grows slowly, about one foot a year, it may begin to bear fruit in just four years. It will eventually reach a height of up to 25 feet tall. Its fruit starts out hard with a bright green color it will grow to the size of a softball. The unripen fruit and the skin are inedible. As it ripens it turns to a deep yellow green olive color and softens like an avocado while the inside turns dark brown and sweetens with the consistency of papaya.

I have had several requests from guests who joined us for our spectacular raw New Year’s Eve gala party for our delicious Black Sapote Chocolate Pudding recipe. So, here it is. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pudding Recipe

4 cups avocado

1 cup black Sapolte

6 pitted dates

2 tablespoons carob powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 Tablespoon vanilla flavor (alcohol free)

8 drops liquid Stevia

Place all ingredients into a food processor fitted with the “S” blade and blend thoroughly.

by Brian Hetrich