Passionfruit Butter

Have you ever hung around someone who likes a food that you don't particularly like, and somehow over time you gradually get converted and end up a big fan of the food? This is what happened to me and passionfruit. I never hated the stuff, but I just didn't particularly enjoy eating it, especially the crunchy seeds.

But Sir D loved passionfruit and he absolutely couldn't get enough of the stuff. He'd buy it when it was cheap at the supermarket and we'd end up getting passionfruit gelato whenever we went to eat ice cream. And he converted me - I don't know how it happened but I've developed a love for passionfruit, and now I'm the one who insists on getting passionfruit gelato when we go out.

I first came across passionfruit butter at my school's Garden Party (read: posh term for school fete) where they sold it at the Jams and Preserves stall. I bought a jar home for Sir D and while we spread the liquid gold dotted with black seeds on toast and savoured the sweet passionfruit flavour, I thought, why can't I make this myself?

So I did. The next time I saw passionfruit on special at the grocery store I grabbed six of them and set about making my own passionfruit butter. I was surprised at how easy and simple it was to make and wondered about all the things I could use it in. You could smother some between cakes, put it in tart cases or sandwich it between macaron shells (yes that's macaron, not macarOOn!).

But my favourite way of eating it is just spread simply on a slice of toast for breakfast in the morning. Mmmm yes, tastes like sunshine.

Passionfruit Butter
60g butter
1/3 cup caster sugar
3 egg yolks (or 2 eggs), lightly beaten
pulp from 6 passionfruit
1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice (optional)

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter and sugar over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

2. Reduce the heat to low, and add passionfruit pulp and egg, whisking constantly until thickened. Add some lemon juice if it is too sweet for your liking. If you don't like the passionfruit seeds, you can strain the mixture through a sieve to remove them.

3. Pour into a sterilised jar* and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Makes about 400mL.

*You can sterilise jars by boiling the jar and the lid in water for 10 minutes, then drain them by placing them upside down on a clean tea towel. Dry the jars thoroughly in the oven set to 150ºC.