Passion Fruit Curd For Icebox Cake Recipes

PASSION-FRUIT CURD FOR ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Combine sugar, puree, and yolks in a large mixing bowl, and whisk together.
• Set bowl over pan of simmering water; whisk until thick enough to coat back of spoon, 15 minutes. Cook about 5 minutes.
• Remove bowl from heat; stir in butter, piece by piece, until melted. Cool, cover with plastic, and refrigerate until needed.

PASSION-FRUIT ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 11 1/2-by-17 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment; brush with soft butter, and dust with flour, shaking out excess.
• Place eggs and sugar in bowl of electric mixer. Using hand whisk, stir until mixed. Set bowl over pot of simmering water; whisk until mixture is warm, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer bowl back to electric mixer; beat with whisk on high for about 7 minutes until, when whisk is lifted, mixture leaves trail resembling a ribbon that blends back into surface in 3 seconds. Add zest and juice. Sift flour over egg mixture, one-third at a time, folding after each addition. Just before final third is completely folded in, stream in butter; fold in. Pour into prepared pan; bake until cake tester comes out clean and cake is springy to the touch, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool. Invert pan to remove cake; peel off parchment.
• Slice cake widthwise into three rectangles, about 5-by-11 inches each. Split each in half, creating two layers of equal thickness. Place one layer on a flat, rectangular platter; spread with 3/4 cup mousse. Spoon 1/2 cup curd over mousse; spread. Cover with another cake layer; repeat process ending with cake layer. Reserve 3/4 cup mousse to frost cake. Cover with plastic; chill about 4 hours or overnight.
• When ready to serve, invert cake onto a serving plate. Spread top of cake with reserved mousse; sprinkle with coconut. Serve with passion-fruit pulp spooned around cake.

PASSION FRUIT CURD

Steps:

• Put the passion fruit pulp in a food processor and whizz to separate the seeds from all the juicy bits. Scrape into a sieve set over a medium saucepan, pushing through as much pulp as you can. Reserve 2 tbsp of the seeds, then discard the rest.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and set over a low heat. Whisk until all the butter has melted then, using a wooden spoon, stir constantly until the passion fruit curd has thickened to a similar consistency as lemon curd. Don't be tempted to turn the heat up to speed up the process as the eggs will curdle; make sure you stir right around the edge, too, as this is where it might catch first.
• Sieve the curd into a clean bowl to get rid of any eggy bits that may have curdled. Stir in the reserved seeds and cool, before spooning into jars and chilling. Curd will keep in the fridge for a week. Eat smothered on hot buttered toast, crumpets or scones (see related recipes).

PASSION FRUIT CURD

Steps:

• Put the passion fruit puree and sugar in a blender and blend until the sugar granules have dissolved. Add the eggs and blend on low until you have a bright-orange-yellow mixture. Transfer the contents of the blender to a medium pot or saucepan. Clean the blender canister.
• Bloom the gelatin (see page 29).
• Heat the passion fruit mixture over low heat, whisking regularly. As it heats up, it will begin to thicken; keep a close eye on it. Once it boils, remove it from the stove and transfer it to the blender. Add the bloomed gelatin, butter, and salt and blend until the mixture is thick, shiny, and super-smooth.
• Transfer the mixture to a heatproof container, and put in the fridge until the curd has cooled completely, at least 30 minutes. The curd can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; do not freeze.
• Notes
• Powdered gelatin can be substituted for the gelatin sheets: use 1/2 teaspoon.