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Passion Fruit Chocolate Ganache Bars

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Passion Fruit Chocolate Bars are sweet, tart and oh-so-chocolaty — they’re rich, creamy and oh-so dreamy! Add a heart to the top and serve them for Valentine’s Day! One passion fruit chocoalte ganache bar

I encourage you to try this awesome, delicious combination of flavors. The tart passion fruit with the sweet chocolate, and a whole lot of creaminess, is truly mind-blowing.

Passion Fruit Chocolate Bars before they are cut into squares

Bars or a Tart

This dessert can be made into these bars, as a pie or a tart. 

You decide, depending on the presentation you’re going for.

Any which way, it’ll taste the same — which is absolutely divine.

Passion Fruit Chocolate Bars before they are cut into squares

The Layers in Passion Fruit Chocolate Ganache Bars

  • The bottom. The bottom layer is a crust made with crisp double chocolate chip cookies. You can use any crisp dark chocolate cookie you’d like.
  • The middle. This is a layer of passion fruit curd, which is out of this world.
  • The top. The top is the beautiful Ganache.

It was all I could do not to eat all of it before it made its way into this dessert.

Once you know how to make curd, you can also use it for other recipes with passion fruit.

* Here’s a photographic guide on How to Cut, Eat and Juice Passion Fruit *

Passion fruit juice in a jar with the fruit skins around it -- for Passion Fruit Chocolate Bars

The Passion Fruit Chocolate Bars are incredibly smooth and rich, sweet and tart. 

several Passion Fruit Chocolate Ganache Bars cut into squares

The chocolate ganache balances the sweet-tart flavor of the passion fruit perfectly.

You can use semisweet or bittersweet chocolate — the choice is yours.

close up of Passion Fruit Chocolate Ganache Bars

Who wouldn’t love a little more chocolate in their life — enhanced with a little passion, no less! 😉

close up of one of the Passion Fruit Chocolate Ganache Bars

Recipe Tips

  • The layer of passion fruit curd will be a bit softer than the layer ganache, making slicing the bars tricky. To solve this problem, place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
  • I love the Dove hearts on top. Not only are they delicious and add well to the dessert, but they also serve as a guide to slice the square bars. That said, they’re optional. You can also use a chocolate of your choice, if there’s one you like better.

Enjoy, and I hope you’ll share these scrumptious Passion Fruit Chocolate Bars with friends — spread the love!

More recipes with passion fruit . . .

And a big thank you to Melissa’s Produce for the beautiful passion fruits for recipe testing.

Passion Fruit Chocolate Ganache Bars -- Sweet, tart and oh-so-chocolaty! Rich, creamy and oh-so dreamy! It's the perfect Valentine's Day dessert.

Passion Fruit Chocolate Ganache Bars

Valentina K. Wein
These Passion Fruit Chocolate Bars are sweet, tart and oh-so-chocolaty -- they're rich, creamy and oh-so dreamy! And with a heart on top they're perfect for Valentine's Day!
*Please note that only 20 minutes of the prep time is active.
5 from 9 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Refrigeration & Freezing Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 35 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 bars
Calories 285 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the crust

  • 10 ounces crisp dark chocolate cookies
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

For the passion fruit curd

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup passion fruit juice (from about 8 to 10 passion fruits) see notes
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk

For the ganache

  • 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • coarse sea salt for sprinkling
  • 16 chocolate Dove hearts if desired

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the pan. Line a square (8 X 8-inch) baking pan with parchment paper. (Use a large piece that will cover the sides and cut slits in each corner so that it will lay flat.). Set aside.

For the crust

  • Make the crust and press it into the pan. Add the cookies to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and blend until smooth. Mix with the melted butter and then very firmly, press it into the prepared pan. Set aside.

For the passion fruit curd

  • Combine and mix the ingredients. In a heat proof bowl, combine the butter with the sugar and mix until blended. Then add the passion fruit juice, eggs and egg yolk. Use a whisk to blend until it’s as smooth as possible. (It will likely have little lumps from the butter. That’s okay!)
  • Cook, cool and add the mixture to the crust. Place the bowl over a pot it fits snugly into, with a couple of inches of water in it. (Be sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.) Turn the heat to medium and whisking often, cook until the mixture is thick — it should coat the back of a spoon when it’s ready, about 15 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature and then pour it evenly over the crust. Refrigerate until it’s set, about 1 hour.

For the the ganache

  • Do this step as soon as you add the curd to the crust and begin refrigerating.
    Make the ganache. Add the chocolate to a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside. Add the cream and vanilla to a small saucepan and scald. When it’s ready, it should be very hot, but not boiling, and tiny bubbles will appear along the edges of the surface. Pour this over the chocolate and let it sit for about 4 minutes. Then mix until thick and smooth. Let this cool completely at room temperature.
  • Add ganache on top of the curd. Once the layer of curd has solidified and the ganache is cool, evenly pour it on top and refrigerate until the ganache is set, at least 1 hour.
  • Add salt and chocolates and slice. Sprinkle with the salt, and if desired add 16 chocolate Dove hearts. Slice the dessert into bars, using the hearts as a guide. (The layer of curd will be a bit softer than the ganache, making slicing a bit tricky — to solve this issue, place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.)

Notes

Calorie count is only an estimate.
Here's How to Cut, Eat and Juice Passion Fruit.
Keywords exotic fruit desserts, dessert bars, great for Valentine's Day
Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

 

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Comments

  1. David says

    It is hard to find passion fruit in Tucson. You probably aren’t surprised. Every once in a while, and I hate mixing it with anything as it is so rare. But I trust you, so why not chocolate? Happy Valentine’s Day!

    Reply

    • valentina says

      While I do love this combination with chocolate, I couldn’t help but think, I should’ve first done a post on just the passion fruit curd — it’s so lovely on it’s own! I must still do it. 🙂

      Reply

  8. Kelsey says

    The passionfruit curd was delicious, but unfortunately the ganache didn’t set for me at all. The whole thing just turned out to be (yummy) mush. Any tips for getting the ganache a little thicker? I thought I followed everything precisely, but it was my first time making ganache so maybe I messed something up along the way.

    Reply

    • valentina says

      Hi Kelsey. First of all, I’m sorry it didn’t turn out exactly right, and thank you for sharing your experience. Let’s see . . . my first guess is that it needed more time to set up in the refrigerator. Normally with a thin layer, an hour should be enough, but try doubling that next time. These measurements should work, but it will always be a bit thicker if you add more chocolate — you can try that also. I am glad it still tasted good! LMK if you try it again and how it goes. 🙂

      Reply

  17. Marissa says

    What a fun creamy / chocolatey / fruity treat, Valentina! I so rarely see passion fruit in desserts – love the idea of making it into a curd for these beauties!

    Reply

  18. David @ Spiced says

    Oh, this dessert sounds fantastic! I love the passion fruit combined with chocolate here. We never (ever, ever) see passion fruit here in upstate New York, but I discovered frozen passion fruit puree in the freezer section at our local grocery store. (It’s 100% passion fruit.) That lets me still make passion fruit desserts without actually having passion fruit. I’m putting these chocolate bars on the list of things to make soon! Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

    Reply

    • valentina says

      I’m so happy you can at least get the frozen purée. Saves you a little work, too. 😉 Enjoy — Valentine’s Day or not. 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply

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