A Peruvian-Inspired Passionfruit Dark Chocolate Dessert
This Passionfruit Dark Chocolate Dessert combines a luscious dark chocolate flourless cake layer with a passionfruit curd. Garnished with a bit of fresh passionfruit (aka maracuya), this Peruvian-Inspired dessert recipe is a luxurious and decadent gluten free dessert to share with your loved one for #ValentinesDay!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – Valentine’s Day Dessert Inspiration
As I mentioned in the introductory description of the recipe for this Passionfruit Dark Chocolate Dessert, the inspiration for the recipe was a dark chocolate and maracuya bar I had at the Choco Museo in Pisac, Peru.
Having traveled extensively in Peru’s Sacred Valley (Valle Sagrado) and the Andes Mountains (Montagnes des Andes), many of my recipes include either Peruvian ingredients or Peruvian inspiration. I still struggle to find many of the ingredients used in Peruvian cooking, but I’m doing my best to bring the flavors I’ve embraced to the kitchens of home cooks outside this beautiful country!
Disclaimer: I do not pretend to bring you authentic Peruvian recipes; rather I bring you some of the flavors of Peru.
In this spirit, I began playing with the flavors of that chocolate bar I enjoyed at the Choco Museo at least 2 of our 3 month-long trips to Peru. I don’t know that I ever had a chocolate and maracuya dessert in Peru, but WOW, the flavors play so well together.
This Peruvian-inspired Passionfruit and Dark Chocolate Dessert is a special occasion dessert perfect for Valentine’s Day or an elegant small dinner party. While it is not overly complicated or time-consuming , neither is it quick. With Valentine’s Day just a month away, I will say my hubby is looking forward to having it again!
This Peruvian-inspired dessert has 2 components: A dense dark chocolate flourless cake, and an easy passionfruit curd that is made the same way as the orange curd in my Mexican chocolate trifle (another special occasion dessert!). The curd can be made while the cake bakes, so all told, you’re in for about an hour.
⛰️ A Few Photos from Pisac, Peru!
Start by assembling the ingredients…
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- dark chocolate – I prefer a good quality 72% dark chocolate bar to chips, but if you can find really good quality chips, by all means use them! This will save time chopping.
- unsalted butter – If you use salted butter, omit the salt in both recipes.
- sugar
- eggs
- orange liqueur – I keep triple sec on hand for cocktails, desserts, and even savory dishes. It is inexpensive and readily available. See Serious Eats Guide to Orange Liqueur for more… This ingredient is optional! You can substitute orange juice or water.
- passionfruit pulp – By all means use fresh passionfruit pulp if it’s available (and you want to spend the money!). I keep Goya passionfruit pulp in my freezer, and it’s widely available in grocery stores.
- lemon zest
- sea salt
🔪 Instructions
- Make the flourless chocolate cake batter – chop the chocolate and butter into pieces (see photos). Boil the water with sugar and salt, then pour over the prepared chocolate and butter. Stir thoroughly until melted and smooth. Cool before adding the whisked eggs and triple sec (if using).
- Pour batter into prepared dishes (trifle bowls, ramekins) – Spray the dishes just to be safe. After placing them in a large enough pan, place on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Pour boiling water CAREFULLY into the pan. Bake until the cakes have risen and the tops are a little puffy and they look set but not dry (about 30-35 minutes depending on how deep the mixture is).
- While the cake bakes, prepare the passionfruit curd – My passionfruit curd is SIMPLE! The ingredients go into a blender or food processor until smooth and thoroughly combined. If you’re an experienced cook that pays attention, you can cook it with direct heat on the stove. Otherwise, you’re better off to use a double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- To serve – When the flourless chocolate cakes and passionfruit curd are cooled to room temperature, spoon one-fourth of the curd over each dish. Top with a spoonful of fresh passionfruit if desired. Enjoy!
💭 Tips
- Butter is part of both the passionfruit curd and the flourless chocolate cake. Butter measurements can be confusing. See this Butter chart for additional information. Both recipes specify “unsalted” butter, but you can substitute “salted” butter. Be sure to omit the salt in both recipes.
- Using fresh passionfruit pulp is (of course 😋) preferred, but not always practical. I purchased 1 maracuya that just happened to be a day shy of “ripe.” It was $5.98 for 1! I love the added texture and acidity it adds to the dessert, but it is totally optional. Frozen passionfruit pulp is widely available, and something I almost always have in my freezer. On photo day, I used a combination of Goya frozen pulp and fresh from the passionfruit I used as garnish
- What kind of chocolate should I use? I like REALLY DARK CHOCOLATE. 72% bittersweet chocolate is almost always on hand, and we love the end result. I also prefer a good quality bar chocolate to a bag of chips. The choice is yours. If you use less than 72% dark, you may want to decrease the sugar a bit. Conversely, if you use a darker chocolate, you may want to increase the sugar.
- What kind of dishes should I use? After doing a little bit of research on my Anchor Hocking trifle dishes, I discovered they are oven safe to 425°. The flourless cake is cooked in a 375° oven (350° convection), so I have no problem. Of course I want the beautiful photos, so glass is preferable. Oven safe ramekins are a good alternative, and the smaller ones should hold about the same amount.
- Can I make this dessert recipe ahead? Absolutely. I recommend adding the passionfruit curd just prior to serving to keep the texture of the cake from getting mushy. Homemade curds will keep 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator, and the cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer. Be sure to bring the cake to room temperature before serving!
- What can I substitute for triple sec? You can substitute water, but where’s the fun in that? Seriously, though, the alcohol cooks out and leaves a hint of orange flavor. You could use orange juice, or another orange liqueur.
- What can I substitute for passionfruit pulp? I have made lemon, orange, and blood orange curd. All would be great with the flourless cake.
- Can I use fresh passionfruit/maracuya? If you are lucky enough to find them, by all means use them! Look for wrinkled but not dessicated fruit. Reserve the seed for garnish as shown in the photos. How to prepare passionfruit.
🧂 Useful Stuff
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In closing, this Peruvian-inspired dessert probably isn’t one to take to a potluck. You need a good hour of undivided attention, and intermediate cooking skills… Trust me when I say, it will impress! Just ask Mark. 💘
I do realize this decadent passionfruit and chocolate dessert is not “healthy” or even “healthyish.” All things in moderation!
📖 Recipe
Passionfruit Dark Chocolate Dessert
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Ingredients
Flourless Chocolate Cake Layer
- 8-9 ounces dark chocolate - chopped (see notes)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter - cut in pieces
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons triple sec - optional, see Notes below
Passionfruit Curd Layer
- ¼ cup passionfruit pulp - see notes
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter - softened
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° (350° convection).
- Make the flourless chocolate cake batter – chop the chocolate and butter into pieces (see photos). Boil the water with sugar and salt, then pour over the prepared chocolate and butter. Stir thoroughly until melted and smooth. Cool before adding the whisked eggs and triple sec.
- Pour batter into prepared dishes (trifle bowls, ramekins) – Spray the dishes just to be safe. After placing them in a large enough pan, place on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Pour boiling water CAREFULLY into the pan. Bake until the cakes have risen and the tops are a little puffy and they look set but not dry (about 30-35 minutes depending on how deep the mixture is). I have read a couple of recipes that suggest 140° with an instant read thermometer is about right.
- While the cake bakes, prepare the passionfruit curd – My passionfruit curd is SIMPLE! The ingredients go into a blender or food processor until smooth and thoroughly combined. If you’re an experienced cook that pays attention, you can cook it with direct heat on the stove. Otherwise, you’re better off to use a double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Cool.
- To serve – When the flourless chocolate cakes and passionfruit curd are both cooled to room temperature, spoon one-fourth of the curd over each dish. Top with a spoonful of fresh passionfruit if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Super easy recipe to make and I absolutely love how I got a feel for Peru while having it. Definitely recommend it!
I bought some passionfruit for the first time a couple of days ago and wasn’t quite sure if there was any easy recipe I could use them in. This one was absolutely perfect though! Felt like I really got a feel for Peru while having it. Really recommend this recipe!
Passionfruit is such a part of Peru for me. I’m glad you liked it!
Couldn’t agree more. I didn’t like the fruit until I tried this fusion recipe. Thanks for commenting on it, popped up on Google 🙂
I don’t really have a sweet tooth, but we were hosting and I needed a dessert! This caught my eye because I do love dark chocolate! It was a total hit, it tastes so decadent and passed the recipe to my very impressed friends!