Passion Fruit Sponge Cake

The passion fruit sponge is a traditional afternoon tea delight. This recipe has a tangy passion fruit butter filling.

Ingredients:

5 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup self-rising (raising) flour
1/4 cup cornflour
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons boiling water
1 cup whipped cream
Passion fruit icing
Passion fruit butter

Method:

1. Grease 2 x 8 inch (20 cm) sponge sandwich tins. Cut a circle of baking paper and line base, grease over paper and dust tins with cornflour.
2. Beat egg whites in a clean dry basin until stiff peaks form. Gradually add sugar while you continue to beat.
3. Add egg yolks one at a time while beating.
4. Sift flour, cornflour and salt together, combine butter and boiling water and keep ready.
5. Quickly and lightly sprinkle flour over egg mixture and commence to fold in with a large metal spoon. Pour butter and water around side of the bowl and continue to fold quickly and lightly.
6. Pour evenly into the two prepared tins.
7. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (375 degrees F/190 degrees C) for 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched and mixture begins to shrink from the sides.
8. Turn out onto a wire rack, remove baking paper and cool.
9. Spread one cake with passion fruit butter and whipped cream. Spread passion fruit icing on top of second cake, then sandwich together.

Passion Fruit Icing

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 passion fruit, juice and pulp only

Method:

1. Cream all of the ingredients together and spread over cake with warm knife.

Passion Fruit Butter

A great filler for sponge cake, or use as a spread on bread.

Ingredients:

4 passion fruit
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces (60 g) butter

Method:

1. Cut passion fruit, scoop out pulp and place in a basin. Add sugar, stir well and stand for 15 minutes.
2. Place eggs and butter in top of a double boiler. Add passion fruit mixture and stir well. Place over boiling water and stir until mixture thickens. Cool slightly then bottle in sterilized jar. Seal when cold. Mixture will thicken on cooling. Spread over sponge and add whipped cream.

Rhubarb and Passion Fruit Flan

A creamy, custard-like topping hides the sweet stewed rhubarb and passion fruit filling in this irresistible baked dessert that's ever so easy to make. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

3 ounces (90 g) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sweet cookie (biscuit) crumbs
1/2 pint (300 ml) carton thickened cream
1/3 cup milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Filling:
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
2 passion fruit
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup water

Method:

1. Combine butter and cookie crumbs in bowl. Press evenly over base and side of deep 9 inch (23 cm) flan tin. Bake in moderate oven 5 minutes; cool.
2. Spread filling over crust. Combine cream, milk, eggs, sugar and essence in bowl, beat with fork; pour over rhubarb. Bake in moderately hot oven about 30 minutes or until golden brown and set. Stand 10 minutes before serving.
3. Filling: Combine rhubarb, passion fruit pulp, sugar and water in pan, simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until liquid has reduced and thickened; cool.