You will find that women discuss recipes and menus practically anywhere. Especially around Yom Tov time. Whether at the bus stop early in the morning, or at the beauty parlor: If the recipe is being described with great enthusiasm, I recommend you listen up. You might be onto something great. This divine sorbet is the result of me tuning in, on one such occasion. It was a week before Rosh Hashanah and I was searching for a fresh dessert idea. I heard Pnina describe this incredibly refreshing sorbet with such passion (pun intended) that it was impossible not to listen. And out came my trusted notebook and pen. I had never heard of passion fruit pulp before. And what a discovery that was! I now stock up on it whenever I’m at Shop Rite. I have served this sorbet many times since, and will not tire of it. After some digging, I finally found the woman responsible for this creamy goodness: her name is Eva Ben Dayan, and the credit is all hers.

Directions

Yield: one 9- x 13-inch pan of sorbet

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and half a cup sugar, until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Place egg yolks and half a cup sugar in the bowl and whisk vigorously (by hand) until mixture is silky smooth and no sugar granules are visible, about three to four minutes. Color should be a pale butter yellow.

3. Transfer mixture to mixer bowl (you can use the same bowl that was used for the whites) and beat until light and fluffy. Add the passion fruit pulp in a slow stream, and mix. Using a spatula, fold in the whites. The mixture will become very runny but don’t worry. You can whisk the mixture to combine until uniform. Pour into a nine- by 13-inch aluminum pan and freeze overnight.

Tips:

I like to make a small fruit salad with whatever berries or fruits I can get. Pomegranate arils, kiwis, blueberries, and strawberries work very well. If you dare, add a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar to the fruits to make the flavors really burst. Place fruit in a pretty martini glass and top with a scoop of passion fruit sorbet. It’s a perfect dessert for Shabbos Tu B’Shvat.

Notes:

You can find passion fruit in the freezer aisle, along with the ethnic foods. Of course, you can always substitute with the real thing if you find fresh passion fruit.

Recipe tags

Dairy free Divine Freezer-friendly Freezer-friendly dessert Fruity Fruity desserts Non-dairy desserts Parve Passion fruit Passionfruit Refreshing Renee muller Sorbet Tu b'shvat