Ice Cream and Papaya Cream Dessert

This is one of most famous desserts in Brazil and our favourite dessert for the summer. Papaya Cream, as is also known, is a great option for a fast and easy preparation dessert that is always a success.

There are some Affiliates links in this post, including Amazon Affiliates. I may receive commissions for purchases made through them. Learn about our Privacy Policy here.

Tropical, sweet and light, this classic Brazilian Papaya Cream is a dessert that captures the essence of warm season. If you have ever been to a traditional Brazilian Barbeque Restaurant in Brazil, called “Churrascaria”, I bet you were offered Papaya Cream as a dessert since is fresh and light, ideal for the end of a heavy meal, packed with proteins.

Nobody really knows who has invented this dessert but my guess is that some chef had a bunch of ripe papayas and put it for a good use, combining with ice cream.

The Brazilian Papaya Cream combines vanilla ice cream, or frozen yogurt, with papaya, with a splash of Cassis liqueur. It is a tasty and exotic dessert that your guests will rave about it.

Because of the presence of the “papain” (enzyme) in the papaya, this cream does not keep well: prepare and eat it right away.

You will need a good quality blender since it is better to use the ice cream right from the freezer. You will also need to prepare right at the time when you will be serving the exotic Brazilian Papaya Cream and you won’t want your guests waiting too long. 

I leave my blender with the ice cream already inside it and just add the ice cream later. My blender is this one and barely does the job. My dream one is the Vitamix, which is still in my wish l;ist.

Ice Cream and Papaya Dessert (Papaya Cream)

2 to 3 portions

1 cup of ripe papaya*, cut in cubes
2 cups of ice cream right out of the freezer
2 tbs of Cassis Liqueur

Blend the papaya first and then add the ice cream and blend it until it becomes a smooth cream, pour the Cassis and serve immediately. Add more 1/2 cup more of ice cream if you like it more consistent.

You can also add a splash of condensed milk which will make the cream sweeter and creamier.

* Ripe papayas should be refrigerated immediately, to slow further ripening, for up to a week. To speed ripening, keep them at room temperature wrapped with brown paper bag or newspaper and then refrigerate for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate papaya until they are fully ripe though, as they get more flavourful and juicy if they ripen at room temperature.