I think I need some kind of passion fruit intervention. Passion fruit were in season a few weeks ago and in the space of a week, I made passion fruit curd, a passion fruit and lemon curd cake, pavlovas topped with passion fruit and these passion fruit fingers. The only reason I stopped making things with passion fruit was because I ran out of them!
I've always loved passionfruit because you don't need to do anything fancy to them. Just cut them open, scoop out the pulp with a spoon and eat.
I based my recipe on the Edmonds Ginger Crunch I made a few weeks ago, except with a lemon shortbread base topped with passionfruit icing.
It's always interesting taking one of my inventions into work. Will they pass muster?
The passionfruit fingers are very sweet but also very more'ish and they disappeared in a flash.
Here's the recipe for you which makes 16 fingers.
Passionfruit Fingers
Cookie Base
110 g (4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
75g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
1¼ cups plain flour
¾ tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Icing
50 g (1¾ oz) unsalted butter
1 cup icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
pulp of 2 passionfruit
Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Line a 7 x 10 inch slice tin with baking paper.
Sift together the flour and baking powder. In a small bowl or using a food processor, cream the butter with the sugar and the grated rind of 1 lemon until very light and fluffy. Mix the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture until well-combined. Add the lemon juice to form a dough. Press the dough into the prepared pan and flatten the surface. Bake for 20 minutes or until it is light golden brown.
Five minutes before the dough is done, make the icing by melting the butter. Place the sifted icing sugar in a bowl and stir in the passionfruit and the melted butter. Place the bowl over hot water or microwave on high for 30 seconds then beat really hard until the icing is very shiny. Pour the warm icing over the hot cookie base and spread evenly. Let the slice sit for about 20 to 30 minutes, then remove from the pan and slice while still slightly warm. When cool store in an airtight container.
If you try the recipe can you let me know how they turned out?
I had the most frustrating of weekends. The weather was awful, so I was housebound. I managed to make my computer crash and spent all weekend reinstalling software. I think everything is working now but I didn't get a chance to go out and do any photography, so Wednesday's post may or may not happen.
See you all again on Wednesday, fingers crossed.
Jillian
When I was at high school I used to work weekends in a flower shop called Twigs of Ascot. I loved working there and my favourite days were the busy days like Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. I can't tell you how many rose cylinders I filled on Valentine's Day topped with curly red ribbons. I wonder if rose cylinders are still in fashion?
Instead of red roses, I've gone a bit Miss Haversham this Valentine's Day with some well past their prime hydrangeas. That's what happens to hydrangeas when it's 46°C outside.
For Valentine's Day, I knew exactly what I wanted to make - some very rich hazelnut and chocolate hearts.
I took out my heart shaped cutter and went a bit wild.
I can't remember the last time I made a chain of hearts.
The final product - some very chocolatey morsels, just perfect for Valentine's Day or when ever the need for chocolate strikes.
Here's the recipe for you, adapted from Maureen Simpson's book, Australian Cuisine.
Hazelnut and Chocolate Cakes
Base
3 egg whites
⅓ cup caster sugar
1 cup hazelnut meal
1 tablespoon potato flour (starch)
Topping
100 gm (3½ oz) dark chocolate, chopped
1½ tablespoons water
¼ level teaspoon instant coffee powder
90 gm (3 oz) unsalted butter
¼ cup caster sugar
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional - cocoa powder
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm (8 inch) square tin with baking paper. In a medium size bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gradually add the sugar until a stiff meringue forms. Fold through the hazelnut meal and the flour. Put into the prepared cake tin and gently spread the mixture evenly into the corners of the tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the mixture starts to shrink away from the edge of the tin.
While the cake is cooking, prepare the next layer. Melt the chopped chocolate with the water and the instant coffee in a small bowl over a basin of simmering water, then put to one side. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks, the vanilla and the melted chocolate mixture. Pour the chocolate topping over the hazelnut sponge.
Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 - 30 minutes until the topping is just set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin before cutting into small squares or heart shapes, if desired. You can lightly dust these with cocoa powder before serving.
Happy Valentine's Day!
See you all again next week,
Jillian
