The pineapple, or ananas, is yet another native of Central and South America that found its way across the globe. Its stunning beauty, exotic color, and exquisite flavor became a symbol of hospitality in the English colonies to the north and across the Atlantic.

Fast forward to Hawaii in the early 20th century where the Dole Pineapple Company developed a commercial pineapple farming and canning method that quickly transformed the pineapple into a legendary “ pop” icon of American baking.

The following recipe does not veer far from the Dole pineapple upside down cake recipe contest winner’s 1926 recipe that put pineapple upside down cake on tables across America and around the world. I’ve adjusted quantities slightly, added alternative ingredients, and…why not add a splash of rum as an irresistible nod to the pineapples Caribbean roots!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake:   

Equipment: one 9 or 10 inch round cake pan                                                                                                                                                                                                    

• 6 round slices canned pineapple, drained, reserving some juice to add to the batter later
• candied cherries (or maraschino cherries)
• 2 tablespoons/1oz/30g butter, melted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  ½  teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup/4 0z/115g butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

preheat oven to 375 F/190 C    

Grease the sides of the cake pan with butter.

Melt 2 tablespoons  of butter and pour it into the bottom of the cake pan and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter. Splash the rum (if using) over the surface and arrange the pineapple slices in the pan in a circular pattern, adding the cherries in the center of each round and a few in the in between. Set aside while you make the cake batter.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

Cream 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer until fluffy, adding the sugar as you mix until combined. Add the egg yolks and mix until combined. With the mixer running add the flour mixture, buttermilk, and pineapple juice alternately while mixing until well combined. The batter will be quite dense.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into the batter along with the vanilla until incorporated.

Spoon the batter over the pineapple and, using a spatula, spread it out evenly to the edges of the pan. Transfer the pan to the center of the preheated oven and bake about 30 to 35 minutes. To test, insert a thin skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean the cake is finished.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to sit for a minute or two before running a knife around the edge of the pan. If the cake has risen up in the center use a large serrated knife to level it off. Place a plate over the pan and flip it upside down, releasing the cake onto the plate.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

How to make buttermilk:
Put 4 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice in a glass measuring cup and add enough milk to make one cup. Stir and let stand for 15 minutes. The milk will have curdled and thickened and ready to use.

Pomegranate Pavlova

Pomegranates and pistachios are often associated with the holiday seasons in late December in the northern hemisphere, but the pomegranate and pistachio season in the southern hemisphere is March through May, so why not enjoy this tantalizingly beautiful fruit year round. The pomegranate was revered in its native Persia and eventually its sweet tartness found its way into cuisines around the world, enlivening kebabs in the Middle East and Africa, curries and chutneys in East Asia, jerks in the Caribbean, and salads, sauces, and sweets in Asia, Europe, the Americas.

A pomegranate and pistachio Pavlova with a hint of bitter orange came to mind. Pavlova, a heavenly Australian creation, or was it a Kiwi inspiration, still vigorously debated, but no matter. A Pavlova is the ultimate sweet flourish to end any celebratory meal…eliciting “oohs and ahhs” every time it arrives at the table.

Do try a pavlova topped with fresh passion fruit. It is an all times hands down favorite!

… and contrary to hear say, meringues are easy to make!  The recipe that follows is tried and true.

Prepare ahead:

• Pavlova meringues, baked ahead and stored in air tight container
• pomegranates, seeds removed along with the juice 
• pomegranate juice, reduced and thickened
• whipped cream, with Greek yogurt and Seville orange marmalade

Pavlova meringue

preheat oven to 350F/180C     Makes 5 4 inch meringues

• 4 egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/4  cups fine sugar
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachio nuts, crushed

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and trace five circles about 4 inches in diameter, using a cup or bowl about that size, with plenty of space between each circle for even heat circulation while baking.

Using a mixer or hand whisk, whisk the egg whites and salt until peaks form. Begin adding 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time while you continue to whisk until all the sugar is added and the mixture is firmly peaking and glossy. Sprinkle the cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla over the surface and fold in by hand with a silicone spoon to combine. Then add the crushed pistachios and fold in.

Dollop the meringue mixture in the center of each circle on the parchment paper, staying 1/4 inch inside the drawn circle as the meringue will spread somewhat during baking. Flatten the tops and even up the sides with the back of a spatula.

Place in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 300F/150C and bake for 1 to 1¼ hours until the meringues have risen and cracks begin to appear on the surface. Turn the oven off and crack the oven door and cool the meringues in the oven for 1 to 2 hours.

Remove from the oven and carefully peel the parchment from the bottom of the meringues and store in an airtight container with a parchment square between each. Do not refrigerate!

Pomegranates

Ripe Pomegranate

• 4 pomegranates
• 2 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 tablespoon cold water

Slice off the very tops of the pomegranates without cutting into the flesh and make several shallow slices down the sides of the outer skin. You can then ply open the fruit to remove the seeds from the pith, which is a little tedious, but take your time so as not to lose any of the seeds or juice. Place in a bowl, discarding the pith and outer skin.

Reserve 1/4 of the whole seed pods and place the rest of the pods in a mesh strainer set over a bowl. Better wear a bib apron for the next bit to avoid airborne juice stains! Using the back of a large silicone spoon exert a downward pressure to extract the juices from the pods. Place the juice in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer and reduce for about 8 minutes. Mix the corn starch and cold water together and stir into the simmering juice. Cook for 3 minutes until the juice thickens. Set aside to cool to room temperature and then add the reserved seed pods and mix together. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the Pavlova.

Whipped cream with Seville orange marmalade

• 1 cup very cold whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon fine sugar
• 1/2 cup cold Greek style yogurt
• 3 tablespoons Seville orange marmalade

Whip the cream, using a mixer or hand whisk, until it forms soft peaks. Add the sugar and continue to whip until well combined and forming firm peaks. Add the yogurt and orange marmalade. Mix on medium low speed (or fold in by hand) briefly to just combine the yogurt and marmalade. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the Pavlova.

Assembling the Pavlova
Plate each Pavlova meringue and gently press on the top working from the center towards the edges, being careful not to apply pressure near the edges until the interior surface cracks and flattens slightly. Mound whipped cream into the center and spread it evenly, peaking it with the back of a spoon. Spoon the pomegranate mixture over the mounded whipped cream and serve.

 

Passion Fruit

Passion fruit always conjures up the very essence of the sultry tropics; sweet, tart, and colorfully exotic! Scooped right out of its pod and eaten on the spot, topping an airy Pavlova, in an icy Mojito, stirred into a savory curry, or frozen on a stick, it refreshes and soothes like nothing else under the tropical sun!

For the passion fruit tart recipe which follows I have used the smaller purple fruits that tend to be sweeter, but any variety will be fine. It is the pairing of flavors in this recipe, a dark chocolate layer hidden under the passion fruit curd that always surprises and delights!

A few words about sweet pastry dough: There are numerous recipes about and most of us have our favorites, myself included, Nancy Silverton’s recipe from Pastries from the La Brea Bakery (recipe available online). The key here is a higher fat content in the dough and a lower baking temperature that produces a light crust with a slight nutty overtone.

To avoid any mishaps, a few tips for working with pastry dough with high butter content, and particularly in a warm climate!

Roll out the dough on a floured piece of parchment on a flat work surface. Slip a baking sheet under it and chill the dough until it firms up again before placing it in the tart pan. 

When firm, remove the chilled dough round from the refrigerator and onto a flat work surface. Slide a large icing spatula under the dough and loosen any sticking points. Let it sit for a minute until it becomes just pliable and gently fold dough in half and transfer it to the tart pan and press the dough into the edge and up the sides of the pan. Brush the entire surface with melted butter and chill for 15 minutes. Line the dough with a circle of parchment slightly larger than the pan. Add pie weights, being sure to distribute them to the edge and up the sides.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350F/180C for 25 minutes with the pie weights. Then take out of the oven and remove the pie weights and parchment and slip the tart back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes to finish baking the center.

Passion Fruit Tart  

Passion Fruit Tart

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Makes 1 10 inch tart

Prepare ahead:

• blind baked sweet pastry tart shell, chilled
• semisweet chocolate ganache
• passion fruit curd

         For serving:

• whipped cream
• 6 fresh passion fruits, to be scooped out onto each serving as a final garnish 

Dark chocolate ganache: makes 1 cup

• 4 oz dark semisweet chocolate, grated
• 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract 

Mix the chocolate, sugar, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Heat the cream and butter to a simmer and remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate mixture in the bowl. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes without stirring, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the orange extract. Cool to room temperature and then slip some plastic film directly onto the surface of the chocolate and set aside.

Passion Fruit curd (filling)

• 4 eggs 
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, strained
• 3/4 cup fresh passion fruit juice, strained
• a pinch of salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Combine the eggs and egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl and whisk in the sugar, lime juice, and passion fruit juice. Fill a pan large enough to accommodate the stainless bowl sitting on top with several inches of water and heat almost to a simmer, but not boiling. Place the stainless bowl on top of the pan. The steam rising from the water will slowly thicken the mixture without curdling the eggs in the process. Be patient! This takes some time, but with gentle stirring with a whisk in a circular motion, the curd will eventually thicken.

Once the mixture has thickened to the point where it will sit on the surface of the curd when running off the whisk, remove it from the heat and strain into another bowl. This will remove any egg that may have cooked on the sides of the bowl during the thickening process. Add the butter scattered over the surface of the curd. Once it is melted, gently fold it into the curd until well combined. Set aside to cool until it comes to room temperature and then slip some plastic film directly onto the surface of the curd until you are ready to pour the curd into the tart shell.

Assembling the tart:

Passion Fruit Tart

Remove the chilled baked tart shell from the refrigerator. With a silicone spatula spread a thin even layer of the chocolate ganache over the bottom of the tart shell. Smooth with an icing spatula and return the tart shell to the refrigerator to chill until the ganache firms up, about 30 minutes.
Once the chocolate layer is set, pour the passion fruit curd into the shell and spreading it evenly all the way around.
Refrigerate for several hours until set.

Serving:
With a wet knife blade, slice the tart into potions, wiping the knife clean and wetting it between each slice.
Plate each serving and top with whipped cream and fresh passion fruit scooped directly out of the pod, including seeds for their delightful crunchiness !!