Durian puffs

When I was working in Singapore, there was a bakery in the foyer of my apartment block that made delicious durian puffs.

Durian pulp

I would stand in line to get my share after work before I took the elevator to go up to my apartment. That was my first introduction to durian puffs.So what are they? Everyone knows the cream puffs which is said to have its origins in France. So durian puffs are made with the same choux pastry, only with durian filling instead of cream. It is a uniquely Singaporean invention.

For Australians who are wondering what a durian is, it is a rugby ball size fruit on average [size can vary] that has a thorny outer skin and yellow or white flesh/pulp with a texture some of my Western friends have described as akin to mash potatoes.

Hardly. It tastes more like sweet custard. Being Malaysian I absolutely adore this fruit. It is called the King of Fruits and grows mainly in South East Asia where the climate is hot and humid with plenty of rain.

Durian lovers belong to an esoteric circle because the smell puts many people off. But once you grow to love the taste, the smell is beckoning and enticing. Still due to its pungency, it is not uncommon to find signs like this on the left at hotels and public transport stations.

The beauty about Australia is that it is so vast. It is the only country in the world that takes up a whole continent. From one corner of Australia to another you will find different climates. So don’t be surprised to find out that you can grow durians in Australia. They are grown mainly in Cairns and Darwin which has the largest durian plantation. These Australian durians can be priced for as much as $20 a kilo.

When I visited a local oriental store in Australia I saw my beloved durians for sale, just the seeds stored in a freezer. Now memories of my Singaporean durian puffs flooded my mind and immediately I decided I was going to buy them and try my hand at making durians puffs. They were Thai durians but still quite tasty.

They turned out absolutely delicious! Do check out my durian puff recipe and if you do find durians in your vicinity, try eating them piled in the inner hollow of soft, yet slightly crispy puffs. You can leave the frozen durians to thaw out a little but rather than room temperature, I prefer to eat mine cold within still warm puffs.

family tucking into durian

Roadside durian seller