Kei apple

Dovyalis caffra · Tropical fruit

40 pairings

The kei apple is the small, round, golden-yellow fruit of Dovyalis caffra, a thorny shrub or small tree of the willow family native to southern Africa. Intensely tart and apricot-scented, it is eaten fresh with sugar and made into jams, jellies and preserves.

Picking a good onedrag

Glossy gold, firm, sharp apricotSlack, browning, fermenting

Softened and jammyA few days blets it softer and rounder, which is what makes it worth eating raw at all. Still sharp, so sprinkle it with sugar. Rich in pectin, so it sets a jelly too.Better raw

Skin colourGold deepening to apricot-orange, clean

The squeezeSofter all round, yielding under a thumb

Stem scarScar dry but darkened, the rim sunken

SmellApricot deepened and jammy, carrying

What to look for, from glossy gold, firm, sharp apricot to slack, browning, fermenting.

Preparing