10 Durian Dessert Recipes To Try Including Durian Cheese Tarts And Durian Ice Cream

Durian dessert recipes for durian lovers

Durian season is upon us, bringing about lots of delicious food creations spiked with that distinct durian odour. These durian dessert recipes are a great way to introduce the king of fruits to durian amateurs, as well as use up any leftover flesh before they go bad. Remember to check out our list of durian delivery services for fresh durians delivered straight to your doorstep.

1. Durian Cream Crepes

Image credit: @kakimakan

Each of these crepe pillows are filled with fresh cream and a creamy durian puree—a match made in heaven. The light cream balances out the potent flavour of the durian, making these durian cream crepes the perfect dessert to acclimate durian skeptics to its striking taste.

Image credit: @chicbabe2402

These cream-filled pastries are best served cold, and I recommend using high-quality durian flesh, since the filling consists of only durian puree and whipped cream. You can adjust the amount of durian used in the recipe according to your personal preference.

Yield: 5 pieces

Time needed: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Crepes:
50g plain flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
30g castor sugar
160g water
40g whole milk
30g butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
Yellow food colouring (optional)

Filling:
300g durian flesh
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled

Steps:

In a large bowl, sift together the flour and cornstarch, then add in the sugar and whisk lightly.
Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add in the water, butter, lightly beaten egg, and a few drops of food colouring. Whisk together till smooth.
Pour the batter through a sieve to remove any lumps, then let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes.
Using two forks, roughly shred up and mash the larger pieces of durian flesh.
In a large bowl, beat the cold heavy whipping cream with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Add the durian flesh into the cream and fold gently. Refrigerate while you prepare the crepes.
In a non-stick pan over medium heat, pour in about a ½ cup of batter and quickly swirl it around to form a thin layer over the surface of the pan.
Let it cook for a minute, or until the edges of the crepe start to curl up, then flip to cook the other side. Repeat for the remaining batter, then let the crepes cool to room temperature.
To assemble, lay the crepe out on a flat surface, then place two heaped tablespoons of filling in the centre. Fold up the four sides of the crepe, then flip the whole thing over to form a crepe pillow. Keep them chilled until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from Guai Shu Shu’s post.

2. Durian Cheese Tarts

Image credit: @thebakesco

The abundance of durian and cheese pairings out there proves just how complementary the two flavours are, and these durian cheese tarts are a great example. These little bites are not too sweet, with just the right balance of acidity and richness.

Image credit: @jean_chelsia

If you love your cheese tarts gooey and molten like Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tarts’ version, enjoy them while they’re still warm out of the oven. Otherwise, it’s also a good idea to chill them for a few hours to allow the flavours to settle in and intensify.

Yield: 10 pieces

Time needed: 45 minutes

Ingredients

Pastry:
250g unsalted butter, softened
60g icing sugar, sifted
500g plain flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

Filling:
250g cream cheese, softened
20g icing sugar, sifted
150g durian flesh
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
10g castor sugar

Steps:

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and icing sugar with a hand mixer until the mixture is fluffy and pale yellow.
Add in the flour, vanilla, and egg, then mix well until a dough forms.
On a lightly floured work surface, roughly roll out the dough into a 5mm thick sheet. Using a large cookie cutter or rim of a cup, cut out discs about 9cm in diameter. Transfer to parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Lightly grease a muffin pan with melted butter. Press the chilled dough discs into each muffin mould, covering the bottom and sides. Using a fork, poke a few holes into the bottom of each pastry.
Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C, for 15 to 20 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
Using a food processor or blender, pulse the durian flesh until it’s smooth and creamy. Reserve and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and icing sugar with a hand mixer, until the mixture is fluffy and creamy.
Add in the durian flesh and egg yolks, then whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with sugar until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the durian mixture until smooth.
Add the filling to the tarts and bake for another 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 185°C. Once the tops are slightly browned, remove from the oven and cool them to room temperature.

Recipe adapted from The Meat Men’s post.

3. Durian Jam

Image credit: @mayongchids

Put aside the basic kaya spread and peanut butter and try this durian jam. The sweet, smooth, and flavourful jam tastes amazing on warm toasted bread, or sandwiched with a slab of softened butter like an upgraded kaya butter toast. Like many of the durian dessert recipes on this list, you should adjust the amount of sugar to taste, and according to the type of durian you use.

Image credit: @mr.bert.lee

To infuse the jam with a sweeter fragrance, throw a few tablespoons of concentrated pandan juice into the mix. Just make sure to keep your kitchen well ventilated if you want to keep the wafts of durian odour under control while cooking!

Yield: 2 medium-sized jars

Time needed: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ cups durian flesh
2 cups whole milk
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup sugar
⅛ tsp salt

Steps:

Using a food processor or blender, pulse the durian flesh until creamy.
In a saucepan over low heat, combine all the ingredients.
Cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth, thick, and creamy.
Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then pour them in airtight jars. Keep refrigerated.

Recipe adapted from Yummy.ph’s post.

4. Durian Cream Puffs

Image credit: @inadsliem

Bite-sized, light as a cloud, and filled with fresh durian cream, these durian cream puffs are popular for a good reason. This is one of the best durian dessert recipes for budding bakers since choux pastry is so easy to work with. The most essential step is cooking dough over low heat to allow the starch in the flour to gelatinise. This is what allows the pastry to puff up and form a beautiful hollow centre while baking.

Image credit: @snow_tey

The cream filling consists of only two ingredients: durian and whipped cream. If the type of durian you have is not sweet, add in some castor sugar as you’re whipping the cream. If aesthetics really matters to you, I suggest looking up techniques for piping choux pastry, as well as the cream filling to yield the best visual results.

Yield: 24 pieces

Time needed: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Choux pastry:
50g unsalted butter
120ml water
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
75g plain flour
2 large eggs
Egg yolk (for egg wash)

Durian filling:
500g durian flesh
100ml heavy whipping cream, chilled

Steps:

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the butter, water, vanilla, and salt to a boil.
Take off the heat and quickly sift in the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon to roughly combine, then put the pan back onto medium-low heat.
Continuously stir while heating for one to two minutes, till the dough is slightly translucent and smooth. Remove from the heat, and cool to room temperature.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The dough will start to break apart with the addition of each egg, but keep mixing until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip.
Preheat the oven to 180°C, and line two baking trays with parchment paper or baking mats.
Pipe medium-sized puffs onto the trays, leaving two-inch gaps in between each puff. If your puffs form a peak at the top, gently dab them down with a wet finger.
Whisk egg yolk with a bit of water, and brush the egg wash onto the tops of each puff. Wet your hands, and lightly sprinkle water over the trays. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden. Let cool to room temperature.
In a blender or food processor, pulse the durian flesh until completely creamy.
In a large bowl, beat the cold heavy whipping cream with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the creamy durian till well combined.
Transfer the durian filling to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Cut the puffs in half and pipe in the durian cream.
Dust over icing sugar and serve chilled.

Recipe adapted from WhisknFold’s post.

5. Durian Chiffon Cake

Image credit: @nzebird

This durian chiffon cake recipe combines one of the densest and richest fruits together with the fluffiest type of cake. Chiffon cakes are infamous for being hard to master, but the key is keeping the batter super airy by gently folding in whipped meringue.

Image credit: @lynncanbake

There are a few techniques to a successful meringue as well. Make sure that the bowl and beaters have no oily residue, and that the egg whites are at room temperature. This cake strikes a delicate balance between flavour and texture, and celebrates the potent durian flavour without overwhelming with its richness.

Yield: Serves 8

Time needed: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Durian batter:
150g durian flesh
6 egg yolks
150ml coconut milk
4 tbsp flavourless oil
50g castor sugar
140g plain or cake flour
¼ tsp salt

Meringue:
6 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
100g castor sugar

Steps:

Using a food processor or blender, puree the durian flesh till smooth.
In a large bowl, add in the durian puree, egg yolks, coconut milk, oil, and sugar. Stir to combine.
Sift in the flour and salt, then stir again till well combined.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer set to medium speed, for 45 seconds.
Add in the cream of tartar and continue beating for another 45 seconds. Gradually add in the sugar, and continue beating until the meringue holds stiff peaks.
Add ⅓ of the meringue to the durian batter and stir well. Then, add the rest of the meringue and fold the mixture together gently.
Pour the batter into a nine-inch chiffon cake pan. Bake in the oven preheated to 175°C for 45 minutes.
Let the cake cool completely, inverted onto a cooling rack. Gently release the cake from the sides on the pan, and serve.

Recipe adapted from Aunty Yochana’s blog post.

6. Durian Creme Brulee

Image credit: @walkinapark77

If you’ve tried the iconic Duriancanboleh dessert from The Quarters, you’ll know just how good durian creme brulee is. This deceptively normal-looking dessert has sweet durian flesh incorporated into the custard, enriching the dessert with a distinctive aroma.

Image credit: @fel.the.chef

Everyone knows that the crackly caramelised top is what makes a creme brulee. Fortunately, if you don’t own a kitchen torch, you can broil it in a preheated oven for three to five minutes till the characteristic browned sugar top is formed.

This durian recipe makes four regular ramekins or up to six shallow ramekins. The baking time of the custard depends on the depth of your ramekins, so remember to check on them often.

Yield: 4 ramekins

Time needed: 20 minutes

Ingredients

500ml evaporated milk
150g durian flesh
60g castor sugar
⅛ tsp salt
6 egg yolks, beaten
4 tsp castor sugar

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line a large roasting pan with a baking mat or a kitchen towel, then place down four ramekins in the tray. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
In a food processor or blender, combine the evaporated milk, durian, sugar, and salt. Pulse until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a gentle simmer.
Remove from the heat and slowly stream the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so as to not cook the eggs.
Pour the custard through a fine sieve to get rid of lumps. Fill each ramekin with the custard, then place the whole roasting pan onto the oven rack.
Before closing the oven door, carefully pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, till the water level is about two-thirds up the side of the ramekins.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centre is slightly jiggly. You should check on them at the 30 minute mark for doneness.
Let the ramekins cool on a cooling rack for at least one hour, then transfer to the fridge to chill for at least four hours, or up to four days.
When ready to serve, top each custard evenly with one teaspoon of sugar. Using a kitchen torch, carefully caramelize the sugar to create the creme brulee top.

Recipe adapted from Thanis Lim’s post.

7. Durian Sticky Rice

Image credit: @aunnit_ora

Though it may not look as pretty as its popular mango sticky rice cousin, this underrated dessert is way more flavourful and certainly not for the lighthearted. Durian sticky rice originally came from Laos, but was quickly popularised in South Vietnam as well as Thailand, making it a true-blue Southeast Asian dessert.

Image credit: @izybox

Sitting atop a hill of sticky and chewy rice, then doused with rich coconut milk, this is one of the durian dessert recipes that lets you enjoy creamy durian flesh. I highly recommend using a higher grade of durian such as the D24 Sultan, which has a higher fat content and a wonderfully buttery texture, or even Mao Shan Wang, which is good enough to be eaten on its own.

Yield: Serves 2

Time needed: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup glutinous rice
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup durian flesh
Sugar (to taste)
Coconut milk

Steps:

Rinse the glutinous rice with water, then drain in a colander.
In a heat-proof bowl, combine the rinsed rice and one cup of coconut milk. Steam the rice over high heat for 45 minutes, or until all the coconut milk has been absorbed into the rice.
Using a food processor or blender, pulse the durian until creamy. Add in one to two tablespoons of sugar to taste, then pulse a few more times till well combined.
Dish out the cooked rice into two bowls and top with the durian puree. Serve with more coconut milk poured over the dish.

Recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats’ post.

8. Durian Muffins

Image credit: @goda_tiden

The addition of durian into baked dessert recipes always seem to work well, and the same can be said for these durian muffins. The high-fat durian pulp blesses the muffins with an incredibly moist crumb, and the embedding of fresh durian pulp gives it a flavourful surprise in the middle.

Muffins are usually enjoyed warm, but I would recommend trying these baked treats refrigerated since chilling them intensifies their flavour.

Image credit: @wipa_off

If you’re trying to cater to kids or people who aren’t huge fans of the potent durian stench, you can top the muffins with nuts or chocolate chunks before popping them into the oven. Alternatively, just reduce the amount of durian flesh you embed into the centre of each muffin.

Yield: 11 mini muffins

Time needed: 15 minutes

Ingredients

100g whole milk
250g durian flesh
80g castor sugar
80g butter, melted
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
160g self-raising flour

Steps:

In a food processor or blender, pulse the durian flesh until creamy. Remove about 150g of the puree and set aside for later.
Add the milk and sugar into the same food processor, then pulse till the sugar is dissolved, and the mixture is smooth.
Add in the butter, egg, and vanilla, then pulse for about two minutes until well combined.
In a large bowl, sift in the flour, then pour in the durian mixture. Gently fold together until just combined, making sure to not over-mix.
Lightly grease the muffin tins or cases with some cooking spray, then scoop one tablespoon of the batter into them.
Add in a generous dollop of the reserved durian puree, then top with one more tablespoon of the batter.
Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C, for 20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool on cooling racks.

Recipe adapted from Peng’s Kitchen’s blog post.

9. Durian Pengat

Image credit: @mikimak

At the pinnacle of all durian dessert recipes is durian pengat, the dish that’s responsible for turning many durian fence-sitters into fans. Though it’s pretty much a fixture in local dessert cafes, making it at home is not only more gratifying, but also surprisingly easy. All you need to do for this recipe is stir the mixture occasionally, to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Image credit: @wheremytummycomesfrom

The texture of durian pengat is dependent on how long you cook it. I personally prefer a thick, mousse-like texture, so leaving it on the stove for longer will prevent a soupy dessert. This is one of the few durian dessert recipes that’s best enjoyed chilled and topped with a splash of coconut milk.

Yield: Serves 6

Time needed: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

350g durian flesh, pureed
350g durian flesh
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups whole milk
140g palm sugar, roughly chopped
8 pandan leaves, knotted

Steps:

In a large saucepan over low heat, combine all the ingredients and stir to combine.
Let the mixture simmer for about two hours, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Remove from the heat and fish out the pandan knots, then let cool to room temperature.
Keep in the fridge till ready to serve, and store for up to a week.

Recipe adapted from Precious Moments’ blog post.

10. Durian Ice Cream

Image credit: @77cookbook

Using the same no-churn method from our Want Want Milk Ice Cream recipe, this easy durian ice cream’s only fault is that it will stink up your entire freezer if you don’t store it properly. There’s a good amount of sweetened condensed milk mixed into this, so you won’t need to use top-grade, sweet durian to achieve that characteristic bittersweet flavour.

Image credit: @loon908

The key to a silky smooth and rich ice cream is the high-fat heavy cream, and since this recipe doesn’t use an ice-cream machine, whipping air into the cream keeps the dessert light and ultra creamy. You can keep this ice cream in an airtight container and in the freezer for up to two weeks, but make sure that the container is tightly sealed to keep the odour in!

Yield: Serves 8

Time needed: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup durian flesh
¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

Steps:

In a food processor or blender, pulse the durian flesh until creamy. Add in the sweetened condensed milk and pulse a few more times till smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.
Whisk in a quarter of the durian mixture to the cream, before folding in the rest of the mixture with the vanilla extract and salt using a rubber spatula.
Pour into a freeze-proof container, cover and keep it airtight, then freeze for at least six hours, preferably overnight.

Recipe adapted from Wok and Skillet’s post, and our Want Want Milk Ice Cream recipe.

Sweet and stinky durian dessert recipes

Durian is coined the king of fruits for a reason. Once you get past its hostile facade and mildly appalling smell, the creamy durian pulp that lies within has a distinctively complex flavour and wonderful texture. These properties are what makes the fruit so versatile in desserts. Just make sure to warn your family before embarking on any of these durian dessert recipes. I recommend keeping the kitchen windows open too!

If these durian dessert recipes aren’t enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, check out our easy mug cake recipes or these no-bake Asian desserts.

Feature image adapted from @wipa_off, @77cookbook, @thebakesco, and @kakimakan.