Dragon Fruit Obsession

Recipes

While dragon fruit are great eaten fresh, it’s always fun to try using them in cooking, especially if you end up with more than you can eat. I like cooking with red-fleshed dragon fruit as the vibrant colour and seeds speckled through make any dessert really pop, and the flavour adds yet another element. This page is a refined version of any dragon fruit recipes I consider worth making again, something I have only just begun to tap into.

Dragon Fruit Cheesecake

Credit: Bush to Creek Dragon Fruit

Dragon Fruit Cheesecake Slice.
Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp gelatine powder
  • 250 g sweet biscuits
  • 100 g melted butter
  • 500 g softened cream cheese
  • 2/3 cup caster sugar
  • 1-2 red dragon fruit diced (350 to 400 g of flesh)
  • 300 ml thickened cream
  • toppings as desired (e.g., more dragon fruit of different colours)
Method:
  1. Line the bottom of a 25 cm diameter cake pan with baking paper.
  2. Crush the biscuits in between baking paper with a rolling pin then mix in the butter.
  3. Spread the mixture across the base of the cake pan and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
  4. Slowly dissolve the gelatine powder in the water, stirring continuously. You may need to heat the water to increase dissolution.
  5. Using beaters, mix the softened cream cheese, sugar, and dragon fruit until combined. Mix in the cream, then gradually add the gelatine mixture.
  6. Pour the mixture over the base then refrigerate until set (overnight works well).
  7. Add toppings if desired.

Dragonade (Dragon Fruit Lemonade)

Inspiration: Grafting Dragon Fruit

Glass of dragonade.
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup room temperature water
  • 1 cup lemon juice
  • 1 cup dragon fruit, diced
  • Approx. 6 cups of cold water, ice
  • Mint leaves, sliced lemon
Method:
  1. Use a fork to crush the dragon fruit in a bowl until it is mostly liquid.
  2. Combine equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to the boil. The mixture should be syrupy. Set aside.
  3. Mix the syrup, lemon juice, and dragon fruit in a large jug.
  4. Dilute as desired by adding cold water and ice, then mix in the mint leaves. Serve with slices of lemon.