Gluten-free Passionfruit Melting Moments

Gluten-free Passionfruit Melting Moments

Susan, AKA Kiwicook

In her days as a recipe developer, Susan has created over 450 recipes. Her Dutch and New Zealander roots serve as a basis for her culinary inspiration.

Updated

5 Stars / 1 rating

Gluten-Free Passionfruit Melting Moments are the ultimate treat for anyone who loves a soft, buttery biscuit with a tangy twist.

These delicate cookies literally melt in your mouth, and the passionfruit filling adds a refreshing burst of flavor that perfectly complements the buttery base. They’re perfect for afternoon tea, special occasions, or just indulging in something sweet.

I seem to be doing a lot of baking lately. I think it’s because I find it comforting; the perfect way to de-stress from the demands of daily life. And, then to share what you’ve made with your friends and family… well it’s the icing on the cake really, pardon the pun.

Here’s yet another retro recipe to add to the ‘Kiwi Favourites’ pile – the Melting Moment. A fave from way back, these modest little cookies can still be found in cafes – generally piled high in a glass jar – next to the more glamorous cakes and slices. They’re easily overlooked, but have to be tasted to be appreciated.

The biscuit is akin to the lightest shortbread and, not surprisingly, melts in your mouth. But, the joy of this little morsel is really down to its (often lemon flavoured) butter cream filling, providing the perfect contrast to the crumbly biscuit.

This delightful recipe from Taste.com.au takes the simple Melting Moment up a notch by adding fragrant passionfruit in with the lemon filling.

I made a couple of changes to the recipe. Firstly, I converted it to gluten-free by using a standard gluten-free flour blend, so that everyone could enjoy them.

I also doubled the biscuit recipe, while keeping the filling recipe the same, based on all the user reviews which said there were too few cookies, and way too much filling. As it turns out, they were absolutely right, and I’ve changed the recipe accordingly.

Oh, and by the way, if you’re wondering whether these are the same as ‘Yo-yos’ – they are… almost. Yo-yos are a slight variant on the Melting Moment, in that they they include custard powder in the filling to impart a more custard-y flavour.

If you’ve never tried these delicious little cuties or, if like me, you have fond childhood memories of them, do yourself a favour and bake a batch. Enjoy!

Gluten-free Passionfruit Melting Moments

Gluten-free Passionfruit Melting Moments

These gluten-free Passionfruit Melting Moments are a twist on a classic, featuring a light shortbread-like biscuit paired with a zesty passionfruit and lemon buttercream filling. Adapted for gluten-free diets without compromising on taste, they offer a melt-in-your-mouth experience that's both comforting and indulgent.
5 Stars / 1 rating
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 17 paired biscuits
Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the biscuits:

  • 8.8 oz butter, softened
  • 8.1 oz plain flour (I used gluten-free flour blend)
  • 3.1 oz icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
  • 3.5 oz cornflour (corn starch)
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

For the passionfruit filling: (All ingredients need to be same temperature)

  • 2.1 oz butter, softened
  • 5.2 oz pure icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
  • 1 passionfruit I used two passionfruit, and added more icing sugar to thicken
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions
 

For the biscuits:

  • Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Line an oven tray with baking paper.
  • Use an electric mixer to beat butter until pale and creamy. Sieve the flour, icing sugar and cornflour and add it, along with the lemon zest to the butter. Beat at the lowest setting (mine has a ‘fold’ setting) until just combined, or stir with a wooden spoon. NB: The mixture will look dry and not form into a ball – that’s how you want it.
  • Hand-roll teaspoonfuls of mixture into walnut-sized balls (I weighed each piece to between 18-20 grams (0.63-0.70 oz) each).
  • Place balls on lined tray, about 3cm (1.5 inches) apart. Use a fork dusted with cornflour (I found the cornflour wasn’t necessary) to gently flatten to about 4 cm (1.5 inches) in diameter.
  • Bake for 15-20* minutes until firm to the touch (their colour will barely change). Set aside on the tray to cool.

For the passionfruit filling:

  • In an electric mixer beat the butter until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar, passionfruit pulp and lemon juice and beat until well combined. NB: If the mixture is too liquid, add more icing sugar; if it’s too thick, add more passionfruit or lemon juice.

To assemble:

  • Place filling in a small piping bag fitted with a fluted nozzle. Pipe a little filling onto the underside of a biscuit, then sandwich with a second biscuit. Repeat with remaining biscuits and filling.
  • Store the biscuits in a sealed container in the fridge – when ready to serve, take them out for about 15-20 minutes so that the filling softens a little (though we loved ours straight out of the fridge!).

Notes

I actually baked mine for about 25-30 minutes, as they were still extremely soft to the touch at 15 minutes. I kept an eagle eye on them to ensure they didn’t brown at all, though the bases (when lifted) were lightly golden.

Nutrition

Calories 250kcal (13%)Carbohydrates 28g (9%)Protein 2g (4%)Fat 15g (23%)Saturated Fat 9g (56%)Polyunsaturated Fat 1gMonounsaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 1gCholesterol 39mg (13%)Sodium 119mg (5%)Potassium 38mg (1%)Fiber 2g (8%)Sugar 15g (17%)Vitamin A 518IU (10%)Vitamin C 2mg (2%)Calcium 21mg (2%)Iron 1mg (6%)
Keyword Gluten-Free, Melting moments
Tried this recipe?Let us know if you liked it in the comments below!
About the author
Susan, also known as the Kiwi Cook, hails from Levin, New Zealand, and has a unique Kiwi-Dutch-British heritage that influenced her culinary upbringing. As an artist, tutor, writer, and editor, Susan dedicates her weekends to creating delectable dishes. Her food philosophy embraces moderation and listening to her body's needs.
5 from 1 vote

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12 responses
  1. Avatar
    Coley

    Oh, wow! These look absolutely to die for! Passion fruit is one of my all time favorite flavors. Pinning these for the future!

    1. Susan, AKA Kiwicook

      Mine too! Pity they cost an arm and a leg to buy!

  2. Avatar
    Lynne

    I make (Yo Yo’s ) Melt in Moments
    But have never made Gluten free
    the only 2 things I have changed in your recipe
    20 gms Cornflour
    40gms Gluten free Custard Powder
    too make up the 60gms.
    and it works BEAUTIFULLY 🙂

    1. Susan, AKA Kiwicook

      Yum! Love a good yoyo too! Great that you adapted it to suit. 🙂

  3. Avatar
    Heather

    These were delicious! A perfect consistency, light and melting – just the way I hoped they would turn out! Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Susan, AKA Kiwicook
  4. Avatar
    Wendy

    Just tried your recipe, I normally bake yo-yo biscs but needed to cook for someone gluten intolerant. Had to cook for 25 minutes on 150c fan forced. The only change was to beat the butter and icing sugar together first which made the mix finish moist which is easier to roll.
    Thanks great recipe.

    1. Susan, AKA Kiwicook
  5. Avatar
    Maree Kendall

    Mine were a total disaster. I followed the recipe and weighed everything exactly. I used gluten free plain flour but maybe it should have been self raising g gluten free flour. The mixture was very wet and didn’t go lumpy like yours. They rolled into balls and it lightly pressed them with a fork. Instead of rising they spread out and went flat. Very fragile snd just fell apart. What did I do wrong?

    1. Susan, AKA Kiwicook

      Hi Maree. I’m sorry to hear the recipe didn’t work well for you. You don’t need self-raising flour, as the cookies don’t rise. I don’t understand how the mixture was wet when you are simply beating butter together with dry ingredients. Sorry, it’s got me flummoxed. 🙁

  6. Avatar
    Caroline

    5 stars
    I’ve made these before and they are absolutely amazing, but I am considering them for a wedding afternoon tea where I need to make things completely in advance. Just defrost and serve.

    Can these be frozen when already filled with icing?

    1. Amy Hand
      Amy Hand

      Hey Caroline,

      Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you liked the recipe!

      To answer your question: yes, you can freeze these Melting Moments, however, the texture of the passionfruit filling may change a bit after freezing and thawing due to its fresh fruit content. It might become a little more watery, but the taste should remain the same.

      For best results, follow these steps:

      1. After baking, let the biscuits cool completely to room temperature. This is important to prevent condensation, which could lead to sogginess once thawed.

      2. Once cooled, freeze the biscuits without the filling in a freezer-safe container. To prevent them from sticking together, place a layer of parchment paper between each layer of biscuits.

      3. Prepare the passionfruit filling closer to the date of your event or freeze it separately in an airtight container.

      4. On the day before the event, defrost the biscuits at room temperature. Once fully defrosted, fill them with the passionfruit icing.

      You can freeze the fully assembled biscuits, but be aware the filling’s texture may be slightly different upon thawing. To minimize this effect, thaw them in the refrigerator and serve shortly after to avoid filling becoming overly soft.

      It’s a good idea to do a test run. Freeze a small batch of biscuits, both unfilled and filled, to see how they react to the freezing and thawing process. This can help you fine-tune the process to ensure the best quality for your guests.

      Hope this helps!