Passiflora setacea fruit

What it is

BRS Pérola do Cerrado fruits are round or slightly elongated. In a planting at Seropédica, in Rio de Janeiro state, they averaged about 4.9 cm (1.9 in) long and 4.6 cm (1.8 in) across, weighed about 55 g (2 oz) and held around 158 seeds in their pulp. The green-yellow skin keeps its colour after ripening, while the pulp has a gentler acidity than sour passionfruit.

Where it comes from

The wild species comes from Brazil’s Cerrado and the transition into the Caatinga. BRS Pérola do Cerrado is a selected variety of that species, released in May 2013. Its breeding brings together wild populations from different regions, with larger fruit and heavier crops as the goals.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Brazil, the pulp goes into a seeded passionfruit curd: fruit, sugar, eggs and butter stirred over heat until thick. The seeds stay in, dotting the creamy spread. It is a richer way to eat the same fruit that can be scooped up fresh.

In Águas Claras, in Brazil’s Federal District, chef Leninha Camargo uses it in pudim de iogurte e maracujá, a yogurt and condensed-milk pudding. A syrup of the fruit and sugar goes over the chilled pudding, finished with citrus zest.

How it's grown

The vine is grown up a trellis; in a planting at Seropédica the trellis stood 1.8 m (6 ft) high. BRS Pérola do Cerrado begins fruiting eight to ten months after sowing. Its flowers need pollen from a different plant, and bats are their main pollinators. Ripe fruits separate naturally from the plant.

When and where you'll find it

In central Brazil, BRS Pérola do Cerrado usually fruits in autumn and winter, including the off-season for sour passionfruit. Around Brasília, it reaches shoppers through markets, fairs and community-supported farm subscriptions. The name maracujá pérola is also used for this green-yellow fruit.