Passion Fruit Tart

This passion fruit tart is ready for any occasion: for a summer party outside, on a cold winter evening by the fire or as a Valentine’s Day dessert to bring passion into the holiday.

I first tried passion fruit when I lived on Kaua’i for a summer in 2017. The fresh passion fruit pulp was tempered with eggs, sugar and butter into a thick mixture, which was labeled liliko’i curd (liliko’i meaning “passion fruit” in Hawaiian). It reminded me of lemon curd, but sweeter, tarter, happier. It made my eyes pop, and passion fruit has been my favorite fruit ever since.

When this passion fruit tart recipe made by Lois Kinneberg from Phoenix, Arizona, came across my desk, I knew it’d be a hit. The filling is that zippy passion fruit curd I had so many years ago, and it’s just as bright, tangy and sunny as I remember, with a wonderfully nutty shortbread-almond crust to give it some texture and a vessel for easy eating.

Ingredients for Passion Fruit Tart

• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour creates the base and structure for the shortcrust pastry—a type of pie crust that’s best for tart recipes.
• Almonds: Sliced almonds are easiest to blend with the other shortcrust ingredients in a food processor. Toast the nuts beforehand to bring out their sweet nuttiness.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the shortcrust pastry and the passion fruit filling. You can use brown sugar as a substitute for granulated sugar in the shortcrust if desired, but not in the filling.
• Butter: Most baking recipes require softened butter, but that’s not what we want here. Cube the butter, then stick it back in the fridge. We want it as cold as can be for the shortcrust and the filling.
• Grated orange zest: Zest an orange as you’d zest a lemon: Grate just the outer skin—don’t go too deep and reach the bitter white pith.
• Eggs: Six eggs create the custardy, curd-like filling. Separate the egg whites from the yolks for three of the eggs and save the egg whites for recipes like meringue cookies or our mango mousse cake.
• Passion fruit juice concentrate: You can find passion fruit juice concentrate in the frozen aisle. We used the Goya brand. For other brands, make sure to read the ingredient labels; some add other fruits like pineapple without labeling that on the front of the package.
• Confectioners’ sugar: We finish our passion fruit tart recipe with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar. It’s optional, but it lends a pleasant sweetness.

Directions

Step 1: Make the crust

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the all-purpose flour, almonds, sugar, butter, orange zest and salt in a food processor. Place the top on and pulse everything until the mixture forms a soft dough. If necessary, gradually add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together.

Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a well-greased 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake the crust until it’s golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the crust on a wire rack at room temperature and reduce the oven’s heat to 325°.

Step 2: Start the filling

In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, passion fruit juice and salt until blended.

Step 3: Add the butter

Add the butter and continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens.

You’ll know it’s thickened enough when the filling coats the back of a spoon.

Immediately pour the passion fruit filling into the crust.

Step 4: Bake

Bake the passion fruit tart until the filling is set, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove the tart from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. If desired, dust the top with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

• Change the nuts: Not a fan of almonds? Macadamia nuts would be an excellent substitution here.
• Make ’em mini: Instead of one big tart, divide the tart dough evenly among muffin cups. Parbake until the crusts are lightly golden brown, then add the passion fruit filling and bake until it’s set.

How to Store Passion Fruit Tart

Store leftover passion fruit tart in the fridge for up to four days. The curd is prone to absorbing the smells of anything it’s near in the fridge, so store it in an airtight container or cover it tightly with storage wrap.

Can you make a passion fruit tart ahead of time?

Yes, you can make a passion fruit tart ahead of time. Fully assemble and bake the tart, allow it to cool completely to room temperature, and avoid adding any toppings. Cover the tart tightly with storage wrap, making sure it isn’t pressed against the filling. Refrigerate the tart overnight, then decorate and serve whenever you’re ready.

Passion Fruit Tart Tips

How can you decorate a passion fruit tart?

Decorate the passion fruit tart with homemade whipped cream, with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar, or with pretty fruits like citrus slices, passion fruit pulp, kiwi slices or raspberries. Edible flowers or chopped almonds would also make a nice decoration.

Can you make this passion fruit tart recipe gluten-free?

We haven’t tested this passion fruit tart recipe with gluten-free flour. However, if we were to try, we’d use one of the best gluten-free flour blends with xanthan gum in place of the all-purpose flour. For anyone particularly sensitive, double-check that all other packaged ingredients are certified gluten-free.

How can you cut clean slices of passion fruit tart?

To cut clean slices of your passion fruit tart, run a sharp chef’s knife under hot water, carefully wipe it dry with a clean towel, then make the first slice. Run the chef’s knife under water again to remove any food debris, wipe it dry again, then make the second cut. Repeat these steps until your tart is completely cut.

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