Pleasing Passionfruit Dessert Recipes That’ll Make You Want To Host A Party

Passionfruit is a tropical fruit known for its crunchy edible seeds and a tangy but sweet-tart flavor. Native to South America and parts of Southeast Asia, passionfruit lights up the senses with its bright seeds suspended in tangy pulp. Bite into a fresh passionfruit and you're transported to sunnier climes, the balance of acidity and natural sweetness awakening your taste buds. Beyond mere decoration, passionfruit delivers an intense flavor that enhances both simple and sophisticated sweets alike. Its seeds provide little pops of joy with each bite taken, while the pulp infuses custards, curds, and more with vibrant aesthetics. Whether using the fruit fresh, frozen or in concentrated form, passionfruit lends itself to both classic and innovative creations. So, shall we dive into some tempting recipes together?

1. Passionfruit Tartlets

Pastry

• 150 gm unsalted butter, softened
• 75 gm icing sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 225 gm plain flour

Filling

• 150 gm passionfruit pulp (fresh or frozen)
• 3 eggs
• 150 gm caster sugar
• 60 ml cream

To decorate

Passionfruit halves

Instructions:

1. Cream the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy for the pastry. Beat in the egg yolk. Sift over the flour and mix to form a dough. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas . Roll out the pastry to 3 mm thick and use an 8 cm round cutter to cut out rounds. Press into tartlet cases and trim edges. Chill for 30 mins.

3. Line pastry cases with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 15 mins until lightly golden. Remove paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes until cooked through. Allow to cool.

4. For the filling, whisk the passionfruit pulp, eggs and sugar together until thickened. Stir through the cream. Pour into the tartlet cases.

5. Bake for 15-18 mins until just set with a slight wobble. Allow to cool, then decorate with passion fruit halves. Best served chilled.

2. Passionfruit Custard

Ingredients:

• 250 ml milk
• 250 ml thin cream
• Four eggs
• 80 gm caster sugar
• 250 ml passionfruit pulp

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, eggs and sugar until well combined.

3. Whisk in the passionfruit pulp.

4. Pour the mixture evenly among four 250ml ovenproof dishes.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the custards are just set but still a little wobbly in the center.

6. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before serving.

3. Passionfruit Pudding

Ingredients:

• 350 gm sugar (or sugar substitute)
• 30 gm cornflour/cornstarch
• 350 gm passionfruit pulp (fresh or frozen)
• 5 ml salt
• Five eggs
• 600 ml milk
• 15 ml vanilla extract
• 20 gm butter

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cornflour/cornstarch, passionfruit pulp and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until light and fluffy.

3. Add the milk, vanilla extract and butter to the eggs and whisk to combine.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and whisk until smooth.

5. Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Place the dish in a larger baking dish filled with 1/3rd finger finger-deep water.

6. Bake at 180°C for 45-60 minutes, until set in the center.

7. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool before serving. Can be served with extra passionfruit pulp or ice cream.

4. Passionfruit Trifle

Ingredients:

• 500 gm passionfruit yogurt
• 1 cup passionfruit pulp
• 500 gm vanilla pudding
• 300 gm sponge cake or pound cake, cubed
• 1 cup whipped cream

Instructions:

1. Make the vanilla pudding according to package instructions. Refrigerate until thickened, about 2-3 hours.

2. In a large bowl, mix the passion fruit yogurt and passionfruit pulp.

3. Cut the cake into 1-2 cm cubes.

4. Spread 1/3 of the cubed cake evenly over the bottom of a 1.5-liter trifle dish (a glass casserole dish is also fine).

5. Top with 1/2 of the passionfruit yogurt mixture, spreading it evenly with a spatula.

6. Dollop half the vanilla pudding over the yogurt layer. Use a spoon to spread it evenly.

7. Repeat layers, starting with another 1/3 of the cake cubes, then the remaining passionfruit yogurt mixture, then the remaining vanilla pudding.

8. Top with the remaining 1/3 of the cake cubes.

9. Spread the whipped cream decoratively over the top.

10. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

5. Passionfruit Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, separated
• 110g caster sugar
• 110g self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 125ml milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pulp from 2 passionfruit

For the icing:

• 120g icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons passionfruit pulp
• 1-2 teaspoons hot water

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease and line a 20cm round cake tin.

2. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add half the caster sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining caster sugar until pale and thick.

4. Sift together the self-raising flour, cornflour and baking powder.

5. Fold the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture in 3 additions.

6. Gently fold in the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk in 3 additions. Fold in the vanilla extract.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

9. To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a small bowl. Add the passionfruit pulp and hot water and stir until smooth.

10. Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally. Sandwich the halves back together with half the icing. Spread the remaining icing on top of the cake.