Passion fruit is the edible fruit of the passion flower. Spanish explorers coined the name in honor of the passion of Christ. For them, the appearance of the passion flower symbolized many Christian beliefs. The fruit is also called parcha, markisa and konyal.
There are two types of passion fruit that differ in appearance but taste the same. One is about the size and shape of a large egg, with a purple-brown skin. The other is quite a bit larger, round, and about the size of an orange. This type is bright yellow on the outside. Both contain a jelly-like pulp with hundreds of small black seeds.
Passion fruit by itself tends to taste tart. It is usually used with other types of fruit in recipes to lighten its tangy taste. Along with the flowers, the fruit is known for its sweet smelling fragrance, and because of this, it's sometimes added to food simply to enhance its aroma.
Popular in gourmet cooking, passion fruit is used in many desserts, including mousses and creme brulee. It's also used in some jams. The fruit is also used in main dishes, such as lobster with passion fruit butter sauce. Juice, punch, liqueurs and cocktails have a tropical flair when it's used as an ingredient.