Fruits
Caja (Hog Plum) in gelato
Caja (Spondias mombin), known in English as hog plum or yellow mombin, is a tart, aromatic tropical fruit from the Anacardiaceae family. In gelato it is used as a frozen pulp to build an intensely fragrant, high-acid sorbet base, contributing mostly water and modest, reducing-sugar-rich solids.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 11% |
| Water | 89% |
| Sugars | 5% |
| Fat | 0.6% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 1.4% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 5.8 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 8.5 |
Typical use: 25-40% of the total mix as pulp (sorbet), lower if paired with a dairy base
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Caja is used as a fruit pulp for sorbets and fruit gelato, valued for a sharp citrus-tropical aroma. Its sugars are dominated by glucose and fructose (about 79% reducing sugars), giving a high per-sugar antifreeze coefficient (PAC ~1.7 in dry base) so it lowers freezing point efficiently per gram of sugar. Because total sugar and solids are low and acidity is very high (pH ~2.3-3.3), recipes need substantial added sucrose plus dextrose to reach both sweetness and body; a stabiliser helps offset the thin, watery pulp. Its strong citric acid also depresses freezing point beyond the sugar calculation, so keep an eye on final PAC.
Origin & background
Spondias mombin is native to the tropical Americas and has been naturalised across West Africa and Asia; in Brazil it is called caja and is documented in the national food composition table TBCA-USP and studied by Embrapa. English names hog plum and yellow mombin reflect its plum-like drupe and yellow-orange ripe skin.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- TBCA-USP (Tabela Brasileira de Composicao de Alimentos): Caja, polpa, congelada, Spondias mombin L. (cod. BRC0073C) — https://www.tbca.net.br/base-dados/int_composicao_alimentos.php?cod_produto=BRC0073C
- Tiburski J.H. et al. (2011) 'Nutritional properties of yellow mombin (Spondias mombin L.) pulp', Food Research International — Embrapa/Alice repository https://www.alice.cnptia.embrapa.br/handle/doc/901337
- Kouassi K.A. et al. (2023) 'Physicochemical, Biochemical and Phytochemical Characterisation of Ripe Fruit of the Mombin Plum (Spondias mombin) from Cote d'Ivoire', Journal of Food and Nutrition Research — https://pubs.sciepub.com/jfnr/11/10/7/index.html
- Spondias tuberosa and Spondias mombin: Nutritional Composition, Bioactive Compounds... (2024) MDPI Resources 13(5):68 — https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/13/5/68