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These passion fruit ices are the perfect treat for when it’s too hot outside to do anything

These muffins are meant to be eaten for breakfast and are, therefore, pretty lean, unless you glaze them.

These passion fruit ices are the perfect treat for when it’s too hot outside to do anything

These muffins are meant to be eaten for breakfast and are, therefore, pretty lean, unless you glaze them.

LOS ANGELES — On the West Coast, we’re smack dab in the middle of citrus season, so it may be easy to overlook them, but passion fruit are at their peak right now. I’ve been buying them by the dozens at the farmers market lately and plan to continue that trend for the next few weeks.

They bring that distinctive “tart sunshine” flavor even better than most citrus, and I love finding new ways to use the pulp, even though I often just eat it straight from the shells with a spoon, the classic approach.

But if you need inspiration for more recipes that use the wonderfully golden juice, try making sorbet, the next best thing to raw. Sweetened with a little sugar and churned until icy, it’s the perfect thing to make right now and then save for a treat until another heatwave like last week’s comes along. Want even more complexity and tropical brightness? Add mango to the mix.

Want something with a little more body? Whip up this simple mousse that uses meringue and evaporated milk to enrich the sunny pulp. If booze is more your speed, try this cachaça-based cocktail made with passion fruit and coconut cream.

And if you need a baking project to get you through these last few weeks of dark mornings, make my passion fruit-poppy seed muffins, a spin on the classic lemon breakfast treat that packs a more colorful punch than the yellow citrus ever could.

Time: 15 minutes, plus 4 1/2 hours freezing time

These passion fruit ices are the perfect treat for when it’s too hot outside to do anything. Buy a few extra passion fruit, because some can be filled with less pulp than others even though they are the same size. The orange and lime juices help round out passion fruit’s distinctive tang. If you want to make this but don’t have access to fresh passion fruit, substitute 3/4 cup frozen passion fruit puree for the fresh pulp and pack the sorbet in a plastic container as you would any ice cream. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, see the granita Variation, below.

1. Halve the passion fruit across their equators and, working over a bowl, use a small spoon to scrape out all their pulp; reserve the empty shells on a plate. Measure out 3/4 cup of the pulp in a liquid measuring cup; keep any remaining pulp for another use, such as in lemonade or as a topping for yogurt and granola.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the passion fruit pulp, orange juice and lime juice. Let the syrup cool to room temperature in the pan, about 30 minutes.

3. Using an immersion or stand blender, pulse the passion fruit syrup a few times to break up the seeds and then pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. If you want some seeds in the sorbet for aesthetics and crunch, add 1 teaspoon of the broken seeds from the strainer back to the syrup; otherwise, discard all the seeds. Pour the syrup into a resealable container and chill at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

4. Stir the syrup and then pour it into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon the sorbet into the reserved passion fruit shells and smooth the tops flat or mound up slightly; store any remaining sorbet in a resealable container in the freezer.

5. Place the filled hulls on the plate in the freezer and chill until firm, at least 2 hours. Enjoy straight from the freezer with a spoon.

In Step 4, pour the mixture into a shallow glass dish and freeze for 4 hours, scraping the mixture every 30 minutes with the tines of a fork, until it forms fluffy crystals like shaved ice. Spoon the granita into the reserved passion fruit shells and freeze until ready to serve.

Make Ahead: You can make the passion fruit syrup base up to 1 week before you plan to churn the sorbet. The churned sorbet will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

These muffins are meant to be eaten for breakfast and are, therefore, pretty lean. The glaze on them makes them richer and imparts a powerful passion fruit taste, so if you want a more subtle flavor, omit the extra two tablespoons of passion fruit juice, the powdered sugar and the extra teaspoon of poppy seeds, and instead sprinkle some extra granulated sugar over each muffin cup before baking to get a crunchy top.

1 3/4 pounds ripe passion fruit (12 to 14)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (or spray the cups with nonstick baking spray). Split each passion fruit and scoop out its pulp with a spoon and into a medium-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Stir the seeds and pulp with the spoon again and again until only the seeds remain and all the pulp is in the bowl (be sure to scrape the bottom of the strainer as well). Pour the pulp into a liquid measuring cup to reach 3/4 cup, then pour 2 tablespoons of the remaining pulp into a small bowl. If you have any pulp left over after this, pour it into a plastic bag and freeze it for another use, such as mixing into cocktails or eating on yogurt and granola.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, poppy seeds, eggs, and 3/4 cup passion fruit pulp. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.

3. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until light golden brown at the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center of each muffin comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack and let cool completely.

4. In the small bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons passion fruit juice, stir in the powdered sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon poppy seeds with a pinch of salt until they form a smooth glaze. Dip the tops of the muffins in the glaze and arrange right side up on the rack to allow the glaze to set before serving. Store any uneaten muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

With its cloud-like texture and fresh, bright passion fruit flavor, this dessert is the perfect thing to make ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator for a snack or dessert for guests.

14 passion fruit to yield 1/2 cup strained, fresh passion fruit juice, seeds reserved, or 1/2 cup frozen or bottled unsweetened passion fruit juice concentrate, divided

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated milk

1. If using fresh passion fruit, cut the fruit in half and strain the pulp through a fine sieve, rubbing to remove the pulp from seeds. Wash the seeds in water, then dry them on a paper towel. They will be used to garnish the mousse.

2. Place 2 tablespoons puree or juice concentrate in a small, non-reactive saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over. Stir until blended and smooth. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring, just until the gelatin is dissolved.

3. Remove the gelatin mixture from the heat. Add the remaining juice and stir to combine. Add the evaporated milk and one-fourth cup sugar; stir until dissolved. Chill until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

4. Beat the egg whites and the salt in a mixing bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining one-fourth cup sugar and beat until stiff and glossy.

5. Add a large spoonful of the egg white mixture to the chilled passion fruit mixture and combine thoroughly. Fold in the remaining meringue with a spatula, making sure not to over-mix.

6. Spoon the mousse into individual margarita or stemmed glasses. Chill. Sprinkle with the reserved passion fruit seeds and serve.

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