Southeast Asia is home to some of the best cuisines in the world, and the food is relatively simple to cook up at home. In this editorial series, we bring you video tutorials and recipes on how to cook some Southeast Asian food at home.

As one of Malaysia’s favourite fruits, durians are often enjoyed straight away after opening the fruit’s spiky peel, but it can also be a welcome addition to many existing recipes and has inspired recreations of traditional desserts. From simple favourites, such as ice cream, to surprising creations involving bacon, those who don’t mind the durian’s pungent odour can take their love of the fruit to the next level with these six recipes.

1. Durian ice-cream

For durian lovers, there’s probably nothing like a treat of durian ice cream on a warm Malaysian day. Could there be anything to make that scenario better? Perhaps, being able to make your very own batch in the comfort of your own kitchen, because it’s definitely no fun having your store bought ice cream melted by the time you get home.

The sweet flavour and creamy texture of the durian makes it a suitable ingredient to make into ice cream. For further instruction, visit Jackie M’s YouTube channel, where she details the ingredients and steps in her video’s description. Below is Jackie M’s video, sharing her dry ice method to make durian ice cream:

2. Durian cheesecake

As a classic dessert in many countries, the durian adds a new element to the cheesecake in this fruit-inspired variation. While the end product may depart from the classic taste, this recipe keeps the important elements of the traditional cheesecake with a biscuit base and creamy texture.

The full recipe can be found on Pinoy Gulaman’s Recipes website, detailing ingredients, steps and cooking tips, or you can watch the video below:

3. Durian and coconut fudge

Durian fans – and vegans – will be intrigued by this durian and coconut fudge recipe. While traditional fudge is a confectionery made from sugar, milk and butter, this king of fruits-inspired treat is a mixture of pitted dates, shredded coconut, carob powder, vanilla and of course durian.

Aside from the dates and coconut, other ingredients can be substituted to suit your taste. Replacements may include cinnamon, chai, mint, cacao, among others. You can find the full recipe on the Reevolve Health website, run by Ryan who is on pursuit of a healthier lifestyle, or cook along with his video explanation:

4. Durian in bacon cups

You’ve probably heard of bacon and waffles, and perhaps you’ve heard of bacon and ice cream, but have you heard of bacon and durian? Not only can we tell you about it, we can offer you a recipe to try it for yourself.

The bacon, which is marinated with maple syrup and brown sugar, is placed in cupcake trays to form a cup shape. The bacon cups are then filled with a creamy durian mixture. The bacon-durian creation is baked in the oven to deliver a crispy bacon outside and a soft durian filling. The full details for this creative recipe can be found on food for life tv’s website. Here’s a quick tutorial video:

5. Durian puree and banana streusel crumb cake

This cake is a simple compilation of textures and tastes, which can be whipped up in an hour. This recipe is certainly aesthetically pleasing with layers of sponge cake, durian puree and cream topped with banana streusel crumbs.

Prepare along with the video below or visit food for life tv for their ‘video cookbook’ with step-by-step instructions and full rundown on the ingredients:

6. Durian panna cotta

The Italian dessert panna cotta, meaning ‘cooked cream’ in Italian, gets an Asian twist with recipe. Panna cotta is typically light and creamy, made from sweetened cream thickened with gelatin, which makes the durian a great addition to the traditional recipe.

While the preparation of this dessert is lengthy, estimated between five to six hours, Chef Will Meyrick’s video on his panna cotta creation makes it look worthwhile. Chef Will Meyrick also has an outline of the ingredients and recipe on his website. You can also follow along with his recipe in the video below:

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