No-Bake Dominican Passion Fruit Cream Cups with Toasted Almonds

Toast the sliced almonds in a dry pan over medium-low heat for three minutes until golden, then set them aside to cool.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup passion fruit pulp, fresh or frozen
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1.5 cups heavy cream, cold
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup crushed vanilla wafers or Maria cookies
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• Pinch of salt
• Fresh passion fruit seeds, for garnish

Instructions

1. Toast the sliced almonds in a dry pan over medium-low heat for three minutes until golden, then set them aside to cool.
2. Stir the melted butter into the crushed cookies with a pinch of salt and press the mixture firmly into the bottom of six glasses.
3. Chill the cookie bases in the freezer for ten minutes so they set firm.
4. Whisk the passion fruit pulp, condensed milk, lime juice, lime zest and vanilla together until completely smooth and slightly thickened by the acid.
5. Whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks in a separate bowl, taking care not to overbeat it.
6. Fold the whipped cream into the passion fruit mixture in three additions, keeping the mixture as airy as possible.
7. Spoon the cream over the chilled bases and smooth the tops, then refrigerate for at least four hours until fully set.
8. Crown each cup with toasted almonds and a spoonful of fresh passion fruit seeds just before serving.
9. Chinola is what Dominicans call passion fruit, and its aggressive tartness is traditionally tamed with condensed milk in everything from juice to mousse. The acid does real work here, thickening the cream without a single moment of heat, which makes these cups the kind of dessert you assemble in the morning and forget about until the sun goes down.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 480 kcal
• Protein: 8g
• Fat: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 46g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 38g
• Sodium: 150mg