A Passion for This Fruit.
Miracle of miracles, I found fresh passionfruit in our farmers market. I had no idea they could actually grow in the Sonoran Desert. The gentleman selling the fruit also sells the plants, and says they do well here in the desert — but they need a lot of water and specific conditions. Well, that’s not going to happen in our arid garden!
Today’s recipe is an adaptation of one that we had when a group of us went to Rapa Nui/Easter Island. It’s a very simple recipe, and very much like a Key Lime Pie. The differences? I used butter cookies for the crust, more passionfruit juice than you would key lime juice, and a whole egg (in addition to the usual yolks). If you can find fresh passionfruit or bottled juice, this is a great dish to share with friends.
~ David
Tarta de Maracuyá (Passionfruit Tart)
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Ingredients
- 9 ounces butter cookies (I used Trefoils from the Girl Scouts)
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 cup pure passion fruit juice or pulp, strained of seeds
- 5 egg yolks
- 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using a food processor, process the cookies to fine crumbs; add the sugar and process again until the crumbs are very fine. Place in a large mixing bowl; add melted butter and mix well to form the crumb crust “dough.”
- In a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, press crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 12 minutes. (The butter may ooze a bit from the bottom.) If the crust has bubbled up after baking, press it down gently with a spatula.
- Meanwhile, wipe out the mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients (except whipped cream)and, using a whisk, beat until smooth. Add the filling to the par-baked crust and return to the oven. Bake until set — 20 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Add a dollop of whipped cream with each slice when served. I decorated the tart with Johnny Jump Ups blossoms, as well.
- Serves 8.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Mad Dog
April 22, 2023 at 6:02 amThat looks stunning …and made with Girl Scout cookies!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:26 pmI try to make a dessert using Girl Scout Cookies every year to promote the wonderful work GSA does.
Jeff the Chef
April 22, 2023 at 7:51 amI’ll bet that’s delicious, and what an amazing color.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:25 pmI know, right? The color is my favorite part!
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
April 22, 2023 at 8:49 amDavid, what a wonderful and simply elegant dessert for spring! I’m glad you decided against planting this beautiful but *extremely* invasive plant. We spent decades eradicating one. I think they must not be as fussy about their conditions as that seller thinks.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:25 pmI had no idea they are invasive — good to know!
mimi rippee
April 22, 2023 at 5:10 pmI can’t find passion fruits so I have never done anything with them. so sad. This is beautiful!!!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:24 pmAs with everything, Mimi, it’s all online! Right?
Eha
April 22, 2023 at 5:11 pmThe tart does look absolutely stunning! But even tho’ I live in the land of ever-present passionfruit’s the practical me is trying to guess how many of the fruit you had to use to get the juice needed . . . I mean they are all seeds !!!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:24 pmEach fruit is so different from the others — some have a ton of juice, while others have just the seeds. Mine were juicy this time!
Sherry
April 23, 2023 at 1:19 amHow delicious David. I think I’ve mentioned that they grow like a weed here in Aus:). I love ‘em, and the seeds! People actually strain them. Oh my!:)
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:23 pmYou are lucky they grow so well there!
Sherry
April 23, 2023 at 1:21 amOops. Just noticed you strain the seeds! Sacrilege my dear:). Easter island!? You lucky devil 👿
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:22 pmOh, we each have our bugaboos! I dint like seedy things. They are annoying.
Susan Manfull
April 23, 2023 at 3:40 pmIt sounds delicious and is absolutely gorgeous! It’s going on my wish list!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:22 pmIt’s so different — there is no other flavor like passionfruit!
Ronit
April 24, 2023 at 4:15 pmBeautiful tart! Using passion fruit instead of the original lime is such a great idea. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:21 pmI really love the flavor — thanks, Ronit!
2pots2cook
April 26, 2023 at 3:28 amBeautiful and soo inviting. I wonder if I may use passion fruit preserves…..
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:20 pmHmmm — I think you could but it would be hard to reduce the sugar in the sweetened condensed milk. But let me know!
2pots2cook
May 12, 2023 at 4:52 amYou were right; I added some fresh lemon juice to avoid too sugary taste….
Raymund
April 27, 2023 at 5:25 pmThanks for sharing your passion for fresh passionfruit! It’s amazing that you found them in the Sonoran Desert and that they can grow well there with specific conditions. Your adapted recipe sounds delicious, especially with the use of butter cookies for the crust. Luckily I have a friend who has passionfruit tree that bears a lot of fruits, they are not fans of it so I always reap the benefits
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:19 pmWow — you are lucky! I need a friend with a passionfruit vine!
Valentina
April 28, 2023 at 3:05 pmDavid, it probably goes without saying that I love this! I will definitely being making it, and can only hope my turns out as pretty as yours. And such a beautiful platter to frame it perfectly. Love it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
May 3, 2023 at 3:16 pmI know you will love this — such great flavor. (And, honestly, anything I put on this platter is beautiful!)
Christina Conte
May 6, 2023 at 10:16 pmOh goodness this looks and sounds absolutely marvelous, David! I came upon passion fruit because of Jill and have been head over heels in love with it, since! I would eat this with some freshly whipped cream (no sugar)!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 9, 2023 at 2:49 pmA little whipped cream would be perfect!
Inger
June 18, 2023 at 1:51 pmStunning David–looks like an extra rich key lime pie with passionfruit–and the purple is a perfect compliment. My daughter and son-in-law will be visiting around the 4th and he is a big passionfruit lover. So I’m going to need to look for the juice. In fact, we were drinking mango & passionfruit smoothies in Paris, so now I’m kind of addicted myself!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 23, 2023 at 1:48 pmMango and passionfruit together? Wow – that sounds fantastic. I hope your daughter and SIL like this, Inger – it is really such a treat!
Marcelle
June 20, 2023 at 8:39 amOh my goodness, the butter cookie crust has me so hooked here 😍 This looks like a wonderful summer dessert, David. The color is gorgeous and it seems simple to make, love this! Beautifully presented, as always 💖
Cocoa & Lavender
June 23, 2023 at 1:43 pmThanks, Marcelle – I love using Girl Scout cookies for my crusts. They work perfectly! And the passionflower juice is so nice and tart. I know you will love this!
Recipe for Cremoso de Mote – Cocoa & Lavender
August 5, 2023 at 3:03 am[…] I never passed that up. Among his desserts, I’ve already posted my version of his incredible Tarta de Maracuyá (passion fruit tart), which we all […]