I had to check a passion fruit dessert off my wish list. This slice of heaven is it, and it puts the fruit at the forefront.
If you’ve ever seen me freak out about passion fruit anything on the Internet, you know the obsession is real. This rare and expensive tropical fruit is in the upper echelon of fruits. It’s sour, sweet, fragrant, and just magical. I’m satisfied just smelling them over and over…and you know how much I like to smell things!
No passion fruit, no problem. Swapping passion fruit for something like mango or even dragon fruit would be cool (you can buy them in the frozen aisle!). If using one of those swaps, I would add some lime or lemon juice to tart it up.
Vegan Passion Fruit Pie
Slice up this delicious passion fruit curd pie for a tasty, tart treat.
No Bake Graham Cracker Crust
- 9 9 sheets (18 squares) vegan graham crackers
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ⅓ cup melted vegan butter
Passion Fruit Curd
- 1⁄2 cup water
- 1 tsp agar powder
- ¼ cup canned coconut cream
- 1 cup fresh passion fruit, including seeds (about 7-8) passion fruits)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Toppings
- Store-bought coconut whipped topping
- Mint leaves, for garnish
To make the crust, in a food processor, pulse the graham crackers and sea salt into a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and pulse again until it comes together and looks like wet sand. Press evenly into a 9 1⁄2- inch fluted pie pan. You will have enough to go at least three-quarters of the way up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate the crust while you make the rest of the recipe.
To make the curd, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the water and agar. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, until dissolved. You shouldn’t see any flecks of agar in the liquid if using flakes, and the liquid will have reduced and thickened slightly.
At the same time, in a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the coconut cream, passion fruit, and sugar constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until it just starts to bubble and is warmed through. Add the dissolved agar to this and whisk until well combined, about another 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a heat- safe glass bowl. Whisk it constantly to cool it down and prevent it from set-ting too much. It cannot be added to your chilled crust until it’s tepid in temperature. Constantly stirring will help cool it quicker and prevent the agar from setting.
Once the mixture has cooled to about room temperature and with no steam present, pour it into the crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until chilled and set.
To serve, top with a pile of the coconut whipped topping and garnish with the mint leaves. This is best eaten on the day it’s made. I would consume it within 2 days max, otherwise the crust gets a little soggy.
Related: 7 Plant-Based Recipes the Ethos Founders Are Cooking Up All Autumn Long
Reprinted with permission from Hot for Food All Day, by Lauren Toyota. Ten Speed Press 2021. All rights reserved.