Fruit Puree: 10 Delicious Ways to Use It in Drinks and Desserts
A pack of fruit puree is one of the most useful things you can keep in a kitchen or café fridge. It gives you real fruit body and colour in seconds, whether mangoes are in season or not.
What Is Fruit Puree, and How Is It Different from Syrup?
Fruit puree is fruit that has been blended into a thick, smooth pulp. Syrup is a sweet, thin liquid with fruit flavour. They do different jobs:
| Fruit puree | Flavoured syrup | |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | Thick, pulpy | Thin, pours easily |
| Gives the drink | Body, fruit texture, natural colour | Sweetness and a strong, clear flavour |
| Best in | Smoothies, shakes, frappés, desserts | Sodas, iced teas, lemonades, coffee |
| Mixes into cold drinks | Best blended or shaken | Stirs in instantly |
Many café drinks use both: puree for body and a splash of syrup for a stronger flavour.
Melina purees come in 1 kg packs: Mango, Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry and Peach.
10 Ways to Use Fruit Puree
1. Smoothies
Blend 60 g puree, 150 ml yoghurt or milk and a cup of ice. Mango and yoghurt makes a quick mango lassi-style smoothie.
2. Milkshakes
60 g puree, 200 ml cold milk and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Strawberry puree gives a real strawberry shake without artificial pink colour.
3. Fruit Lemonade
Stir or shake 40 g puree with 20 ml lemon juice, 15 ml Lemon Lime Syrup, ice and water. Raspberry and blueberry make beautiful coloured lemonades.
4. Fruit Iced Tea
Shake 30 g of peach puree into cold black tea with ice. It gives iced tea a fuller, juicier taste than syrup alone.
5. Sparkling Fruit Soda
Put 40 g puree in a glass, add ice and top slowly with soda water, stirring as you pour. Add 10 ml of matching syrup for extra sweetness.
6. Mocktails
Add 30 g of puree to a virgin mojito to make a mango or strawberry mojito with real fruit texture.
7. Frappés
Blend 40 g of strawberry or mango puree into a vanilla frappé. See our frappé guide for the base recipe.
8. Cake and Pastry Filling
Spread puree between sponge layers, or fold it into whipped cream for a fruit cream filling. Thicken it slightly first by warming it with a little cornflour if you need it to hold its shape.
9. Dessert Topping
Drizzle over kheer, custard, cheesecake, pancakes or vanilla ice cream. Blueberry and raspberry are especially good over cheesecake.
10. Ice Lollies and Frozen Treats
Mix puree with a little water or yoghurt and freeze in moulds for homemade fruit lollies. For ready-made treats, try Melina Ice Pops.
Which Puree for Which Drink?
| Puree | Best drinks | Pairs well with |
|---|---|---|
| Mango | Smoothies, lassi, milkshakes, mango mojito | Mint, lemon, coconut |
| Strawberry | Milkshakes, frappés, lemonade | Vanilla, lime, mint |
| Blueberry | Lemonade, sodas, smoothies | Lemon, vanilla, yoghurt |
| Raspberry | Lemonade, iced tea, sodas | Lemon, peach, chocolate |
| Peach | Iced tea, sodas, smoothies | Black tea, mint, ginger |
Storage Tips
- Keep unopened packs as instructed on the label.
- Once opened, close tightly, keep refrigerated and use within the time given on the pack.
- Always use a clean, dry spoon so you don't introduce bacteria.
- For cafés: portion puree into small containers for each shift so the main pack is opened less often.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between fruit puree and fruit syrup?
Puree is thick blended fruit that adds body, texture and natural colour. Syrup is thin and sweet and adds strong flavour. Puree suits smoothies and shakes; syrup suits sodas, teas and coffee.
How much puree should I use per drink?
Around 40–60 g per glass is a good starting point. Use more for smoothies and shakes and less for iced teas and sodas.
Can I use fruit puree in hot drinks?
It's mainly for cold drinks and desserts. In hot drinks the texture can separate; syrups work better there.
Do I need to add sugar?
It depends on the drink and your taste. Taste first, then add a little syrup if you want it sweeter. Syrup dissolves more easily than sugar in cold drinks.
Is fruit puree good for cafés?
Yes. It saves prep time compared with fresh fruit, gives consistent taste and colour, and is available all year round.
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