Summer passion

These passionfruit desserts are simple, delicious and the perfect summer treat.

Passionfruit panna cotta. Picture: Guy Bailey

These are two of my favourite passionfruit desserts. I usually use powdered gelatine as leaf gelatine varies in strength. The meringues can be made up to a week in advance and stored unfilled in an airtight container.

PASSIONFRUIT PANNA COTTA

600ml cream

375ml (1½ cups) milk

185ml (¾ cup) passionfruit pulp, strained

125g (½ cup) caster sugar

3 level teaspoons powdered gelatine

2 tablespoons boiling water

Place cream, milk, passionfruit pulp and sugar in medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, making sure it doesn’t boil. Set aside. Add gelatine to boiling water, stirring until dissolved; pour into warm cream mixture. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then divide between six 375ml capacity moulds or glasses. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours, or until set. Serves 6

VANILLA MERINGUES WITH PASSIONFRUIT CREAM

4 free-range egg whites

75g icing sugar

½ cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 passionfruit

2 cups double cream, whipped

until soft peaks form

1 heaped tablespoon icing sugar (extra)

500g mixed summer berries

For meringues, preheat oven to 120°C (fan). Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place egg whites in bowl of electric mixer. Sift icing sugar into egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar, a spoon at a time, while continuing to whisk; beat until all sugar is added and mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks. Add vanilla about halfway through. Drop eight even spoonfuls of the mixture on tray and bake for 60-75 minutes, or until crisp. Leave to cool. For passionfruit cream, push passionfruit pulp through a sieve into a bowl; discard seeds. Gently fold pulp into whipped cream. Stir in extra icing sugar. Sandwich two meringues with a generous dollop of passionfruit cream; repeat and divide among four plates. Serve with berries. Serves 4