Passion Fruit (Lilikoi) Pain De Perdu with Fruit and Cheesecake Cream adds another useful Hawaiʻi and Pacific-inspired recipe to the archive, built from source-backed ingredients and simple home-cooking steps. It helps round out the site with a practical dish readers can make beside the traditional coconut, taro, breadfruit, and seafood recipes already collected here.

If you enjoy this style of Pacific cooking, you may also want to try Pacific recipe gallery.

Ingredients

1 cup strawberries or mango or other soft seasonal fruit, diced
1 banana, sliced
1 passion fruit, pulp and seeds only (about 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp sugar
4 egg whites (or ½ cup Egg Beaters)
¼ cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 slices bread, whole grain
1 tsp *1 tsp butter, unsalted
6 tbsp cheesecake cream
½ cup ricotta cheese, low fat
¼ tsp lemon zest – (or lemon extract)
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

Combine fruit with passion fruit and sugar and let macerate at least 10 minutes.
Combine eggs, orange juice and vanilla and whisk till incorporated.
Quickly dredge 1 slice of bread in egg mixture, transfer to a plate top with 3 Tbsp cheese.
Quickly dredge another slice of bread and top sandwich. Repeat.
Cover sandwiches and refrigerate at least 10 minutes.
In a large skillet, melt 1 tsp butter on medium heat, add sandwiches and cook until golden brown.
Add remaining tsp butter, flip sandwiches and cook till golden brown.
To serve, top each sandwich with half the macerated fruit and a drizzle the fruit syrup.
Tip: Make cheesecake cream the night before.
Add all ingredients into bowl of food processor
Process till very smooth and creamy, scrapping down sides as needed.
Store covered, in refrigerator. It is best to let rest overnight before using. Recipe can be doubled.

Helpful Tips

Prepare the 1 cup strawberries or mango or other soft seasonal fruit before you start so the recipe moves smoothly.
Taste and adjust seasoning or sweetness near the end, especially when fruit ripeness varies.

FAQ

Is passion fruit (lilikoi) pain de perdu with fruit and cheesecake cream a traditional recipe?

This page is written from a Hawaiʻi Nutrition Center recipe source and is framed as a Hawaiʻi or Pacific-inspired home recipe rather than a claim about every island tradition.