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B2 — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD
TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022
Passion fruit recipes to brighten late winter
tablespoons cream)
2 ounces cachaca
2 ounces (1/4 cup) simple syrup
By BEN MIMS
Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES —
We’re smack dab in the
middle of citrus season,
so it may be easy to over-
look them, but passion fruit
are at their peak right now.
I’ve been buying them by
the dozens at the farmers
market lately and plan to
continue that trend for the
next few weeks. They bring
that distinctive “tart sun-
shine” fl avor even better
than most citrus, and I love
fi nding new ways to use the
pulp, even though I often
just eat it straight from the
shells with a spoon, the
classic approach.
But if you need inspira-
tion for more recipes that
use the wonderfully golden
juice, try making sorbet,
the next best thing to raw.
Sweetened with a little
sugar and churned until
icy, it’s the perfect thing to
make right now and then
save for a treat until another
heatwave like last week’s
comes along. Want even
more complexity and trop-
ical brightness? Add mango
to the mix.
Want something with
a little more body? Whip
up this simple mousse that
uses meringue and evap-
orated milk to enrich the
sunny pulp. If booze is
more your speed, try this
cachaça-based cocktail
made with passion fruit and
coconut cream.
And if you need a baking
project to get you through
these last few weeks of dark
mornings, make my passion
fruit-poppy seed muffi ns,
a spin on the classic lemon
breakfast treat that packs a
more colorful punch than
the yellow citrus ever could.
PASSION FRUIT
SORBET
By Ben Mims
Time: 15 minutes, plus 4 1/2 hours
freezing time
Yields: Makes 12
These passion fruit ices are the
perfect treat for when it’s too hot
outside to do anything. Buy a few
extra passion fruit, because some
can be fi lled with less pulp than
others even though they are the
same size. The orange and lime
juices help round out passion
fruit’s distinctive tang. If you want
to make this but don’t have access
to fresh passion fruit, substitute
3/4 cup frozen passion fruit puree
for the fresh pulp and pack the
sorbet in a plastic container as you
would any ice cream. If you don’t
have an ice cream maker, see the
granita Variation, below.
6 large, wrinkled passion fruit
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup fi ltered water
Juice of 1 large orange
Juice of 2 limes
1. Halve the passion fruit across
their equators and, working over a
bowl, use a small spoon to scrape
out all their pulp; reserve the
empty shells on a plate. Measure
out 3/4 cup of the pulp in a liquid
measuring cup; keep any remain-
ing pulp for another use, such as
in lemonade or as a topping for
yogurt and granola.
2. In a small saucepan, combine
the sugar and water and bring
to a boil, stirring to dissolve the
sugar. Immediately remove the
pan from the heat and stir in the
passion fruit pulp, orange juice
and lime juice. Let the syrup cool
to room temperature in the pan,
about 30 minutes.
3. Using an immersion or stand
blender, pulse the passion fruit
syrup a few times to break up the
seeds and then pour the syrup
through a fi ne mesh strainer into
a bowl, pressing to extract as
much liquid as possible. If you
want some seeds in the sorbet for
aesthetics and crunch, add 1 tea-
spoon of the broken seeds from
the strainer back to the syrup;
1. Cut the passion fruit in half
and scrape the pulp and seeds
into a wire mesh strainer placed
over a bowl. Press down on the
pulp to extract the puree. Discard
the skin and seeds.
2. Open the can of coconut
milk and spoon off 3 tablespoons
of the cream that’s risen to the
top. Set aside the remaining milk
for another use.
3. In a cocktail shaker, combine
the passion fruit puree, coconut
cream, cachaca and simple syrup.
Pour into a 12-ounce glass fi lled
with ice.
— From Margot Bull, bartender
at Rio Lounge and Grill in Encino,
California. To make simple syrup,
combine one-fourth cup water
and one-fourth cup sugar in a
small pan and simmer until the
sugar dissolves.
Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times-TNS
Passion fruit and poppy seed muffi ns.
otherwise, discard all the seeds.
Pour the syrup into a resealable
container and chill at least 2 hours
or overnight in the refrigerator.
4. Stir the syrup and then pour
it into an ice cream machine and
churn according to the manufac-
turer’s instructions. Spoon the sor-
bet into the reserved passion fruit
shells and smooth the tops fl at
or mound up slightly; store any
remaining sorbet in a resealable
container in the freezer.
5. Place the fi lled hulls on
the plate in the freezer and chill
until fi rm, at least 2 hours. Enjoy
straight from the freezer with a
spoon.
By Susan Latempa
With its cloud-like texture and
fresh, bright passion fruit fl avor,
this dessert is the perfect thing
to make ahead of time and keep
in the refrigerator for a snack or
dessert for guests.
14 passion fruit to yield 1/2
cup strained, fresh passion
fruit juice, seeds reserved,
or 1/2 cup frozen or bottled
unsweetened passion fruit
juice concentrate, divided
1/2 envelope unfl avored gelatin
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons
evaporated milk
1/2 cup superfi ne sugar, divided
4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
Variations
Passion Fruit Granita
In Step 4, pour the mixture into
a shallow glass dish and freeze
for 4 hours, scraping the mixture
every 30 minutes with the tines of
a fork, until it forms fl uff y crystals
like shaved ice. Spoon the granita
into the reserved passion fruit
shells and freeze until ready to
serve.
Ben Mims/Los Angeles Times-TNS
Passion fruit ices recipe.
Make Ahead
You can make the passion fruit
syrup base up to 1 week before
you plan to churn the sorbet. The
churned sorbet will keep in an air-
tight container for up to 1 month.
MANGO AND
PASSION FRUIT
SORBET
By Amy Scattergood
Mango adds an extra layer of
tropical brightness to this simple
frozen treat. If you can’t fi nd ripe
mangoes at the farmers markets,
use organic frozen mango.
2 mangoes, about 1 pound
(450 grams) each
2/3 cup (135 g) sugar
1/3 cup (75 milliliters) lime
juice, from about 2 limes
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
Pinch of salt
1/4 pound (115 g) passion
fruit (2 to 4), or 1/2 cup (120
ml) passion fruit purée
1. Stand a mango, stem end
down, on a cutting board and
use a serrated knife to cut from
the top to the bottom, running
the blade close to the pit. Turn
the mango around and repeat on
the opposite side. Use a spoon
to scoop the fl esh from the skin
and transfer it to the jar of a
blender. Cut away any usable fl esh
attached to the pit, peel it and add
to the jar. Squeeze the pit over the
jar to extract the juices from any
fl esh clinging to the pit. Repeat
with the second mango.
2. Stir the sugar, lime juice,
water and salt in the blender and
purée until smooth. Taste the
purée, and if it is fi brous, strain it
through a sieve into a bowl.
3. To prepare the passion
MOUSSE DE
MARACUJA
(PASSION
FRUIT
MOUSSE)
fruit, halve the fruit and scoop
the pulp and seeds into a small
bowl. Mash the pulp with a fork
to liquefy, then stir the pulp and
seeds into the mango mixture. (If
using purée, stir directly into the
mango mixture.) Cover and chill
the mixture several hours, up to
overnight.
4. Make the sorbet: Freeze the
mixture in an ice cream maker
according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. Pack into a chilled
container, cover tightly and freeze,
preferably for several hours, before
serving. Remove from the freezer
about 10 minutes before serving
to make the scooping easier.
— Adapted from “The Seasonal
Jewish Kitchen,” by Amelia Salts-
man.
PASSION
FRUIT-POPPY
SEED MUFFINS
By Ben Mims
These muffi ns are meant to
be eaten for breakfast and are,
therefore, pretty lean. The glaze
on them makes them richer
and imparts a powerful passion
fruit taste, so if you want a more
subtle fl avor, omit the extra two
tablespoons of passion fruit
juice, the powdered sugar and
the extra teaspoon of poppy
seeds, and instead sprinkle some
extra granulated sugar over each
muffi n cup before baking to get a
crunchy top.
Cook time: 45 minutes.
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons plus 1
teaspoon poppy seeds
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1. Heat the oven to 375
degrees. Line a 12-cup muffi n tin
with paper liners (or spray the
cups with nonstick baking spray).
Split each passion fruit and scoop
out its pulp with a spoon and into
a medium-mesh strainer set over
a medium bowl. Stir the seeds and
pulp with the spoon again and
again until only the seeds remain
and all the pulp is in the bowl (be
sure to scrape the bottom of the
strainer as well). Pour the pulp into
a liquid measuring cup to reach
3/4 cup, then pour 2 tablespoons
of the remaining pulp into a small
bowl. If you have any pulp left
over after this, pour it into a plastic
bag and freeze it for another use,
such as mixing into cocktails or
eating on yogurt and granola.
2. In a large bowl, whisk togeth-
er the fl our, baking powder, and
salt. In a medium bowl, whisk to-
gether the sugar, oil, poppy seeds,
eggs, and 3/4 cup passion fruit
pulp. Pour the liquid ingredients
over the dry ingredients, and stir
until just combined.
3. Divide the batter evenly
among the prepared muffi n cups.
Bake until light golden brown
at the edges and a toothpick
inserted in the center of each
muffi n comes out clean, 22 to 24
minutes. Transfer the muffi ns to a
wire rack and let cool completely.
4. In the small bowl with the
remaining 2 tablespoons passion
fruit juice, stir in the powdered
sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon
poppy seeds with a pinch of salt
until they form a smooth glaze.
Dip the tops of the muffi ns in the
glaze and arrange right side up on
the rack to allow the glaze to set
before serving. Store any uneaten
muffi ns in an airtight container for
up to 3 days.
BATIDA DE
MARACUJA
By Charles Perry
A popular cachaça cocktail, the
batida is an iced drink fl avored
with pureed fruit, often sweet
passion fruit, along with coconut
milk, condensed milk or other
ingredients. It has all the sublime
tropical appeal of a piña colada
but with a fresher taste.
About 4 passion fruit (to make
1 1/2 ounces passion fruit puree)
1 (14-ounce can) coconut
milk (unshaken; to get 3
1. If using fresh passion fruit,
cut the fruit in half and strain the
pulp through a fi ne sieve, rubbing
to remove the pulp from seeds.
Wash the seeds in water, then dry
them on a paper towel. They will
be used to garnish the mousse.
2. Place 2 tablespoons puree
or juice concentrate in a small,
non-reactive saucepan and
sprinkle the gelatin over. Stir until
blended and smooth. Heat the
mixture over low heat, stirring,
just until the gelatin is dissolved.
3. Remove the gelatin mixture
from the heat. Add the remaining
juice and stir to combine. Add the
evaporated milk and one-fourth
cup sugar; stir until dissolved. Chill
until slightly thickened, stirring
occasionally.
4. Beat the egg whites and the
salt in a mixing bowl to soft peaks.
Gradually add the remaining one-
fourth cup sugar and beat until
stiff and glossy.
5. Add a large spoonful of the
egg white mixture to the chilled
passion fruit mixture and combine
thoroughly. Fold in the remaining
meringue with a spatula, making
sure not to over-mix.
6. Spoon the mousse into indi-
vidual margarita or stemmed glass-
es. Chill. Sprinkle with the reserved
passion fruit seeds and serve.
— From Cafe Brasil in Los
Angeles, adapted from a recipe
by Christopher Idone in “Brazil:
A Cook’s Tour.” Use fresh passion
fruit if available. If not, unsweet-
ened passion fruit concentrate is
available at Brazilian markets and
select specialty markets. You’ll see
sweetened passion fruit concen-
trate in many Japanese markets,
but it’s too sweet for this recipe.
1 3/4 pounds ripe passion
fruit (12 to 14)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose fl our
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
1 cup granulated sugar, plus
more for sprinkling
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