Ingredients
White chocolate ganache
125g white chocolate, chopped
½ cup (125ml) thickened cream
Pastry
1¾ cups (265g) plain flour
¼ cup (35g)icing sugar mixture
125gcold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg, lightly beaten
Passionfruit syrup
Pulp of 4 passionfruit
¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
125ml water
Passionfruit crème pâtissière
Pulp of 8 passionfruit
400mlthickened cream
1 vanilla bean, split, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 wide strip lemon zest (peeled with a knife from a lemon)
4 egg yolks
125g caster sugar
1/3 cup (50g) cornflour
50gbutter, cubed
Vanilla ice cream
300ml thickened or pouring cream
300mlfull cream milk
2 vanilla beans, split and seeds scraped
6 egg yolks
175gcaster sugar
Three strips of lemon peel
Method
Preparation: 40 minutes, plus 5 hours chilling time
Cooking: 1 hour 10 minutes
1. For white chocolate ganache: Place the chocolate and cream in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. As the chocolate starts to soften, stir until it melts and combines with the cream. Transfer to a different bowl (as the first one will be hot) and refrigerate for 2½ hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
2. For pastry: Place the flour and icing sugar into a food processor. Add the butter. Process in short bursts until mixture has a fine crumb consistency. Add the egg and process again in short bursts until the mixture just starts to come together.
3. Turn out onto a work surface and gather the dough together. Press out to a thick disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes to chill.
4. Roll out the dough on a sheet of non-stick baking paper to fit a 26cm loose-based flan tin. Line the tin with the pastry, easing it into the corners. If the pastry breaks, just patch it together gently, then trim the excess. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
5. Line the pastry with a sheet of baking paper and half-fill with rice or pastry weights. Blind bake the pastry for 15 minutes, remove the weights and paper, and bake a further 10-15 minutes or until golden all over. Set aside to cool completely.
6. For passionfruit syrup; Combine the passionfruit pulp, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to the boil, skimming the froth off the top as you go. Boil for 2 minutes, until syrupy. Set aside to cool.
7. For passionfruit crème pâtissière: Place the passionfruit pulp into a strainer over a bowl and leave it to strain. Combine cream, vanilla bean and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium high heat until it is just about to boil. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until light and creamy. Strain the cream and pour over the egg yolks mixture, whisking constantly.
8. Wash and dry the saucepan and then return the mixture to the pan. Add the cornflour and whisk to combine. Stir over very low heat for about 5 minutes. As the custard starts to thicken, whisk a bit more quickly until it is thick and smooth. Pour into a shallow baking tray and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, until the mixture is just warmer than room temperature.
9. Remove from the fridge and transfer to a bowl, beat in the butter and the juice from the strained passionfruit pulp. Pour into the pastry case and smooth the surface. Spread the white chocolate ganache over the top. Drizzle with the passionfruit syrup and refrigerate for 4 hours or until chilled and set. Cut the pie into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream.
10. For vanilla ice cream: Pour the cream and milk in a saucepan. Add the vanilla seeds, bean and lemon peel. Bring to scalding point (about to boil), then turn off the heat and set aside for 10 minutes to infuse. Strain.
Place the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until pale and creamy. Carefully pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return to a clean saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes until it is slightly thickened and custard coats the back of a wooden spoon. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cold. Churn in an ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer’s directions.
