Design Milk's TJ Girard shares a recipe for coconut tapioca pudding with passion fruit gelée, a make-ahead dessert that is as refreshing as it is striking.

When you?re a kid, summers are a magical adventure-filled time. I was fortunate to grow up next door to two wonderful friends. Our backyards shared a long wood fence covered in purple morning glories and passion fruit vines. Climbing over that fence was our favorite way to move between houses ? after all, front doors are super overrated when you?re 9 years old. To this day, the sight of the alien-like passion fruit flowers instantly transports me back to those carefree summer days of lemonade stands and playing chase.
As we we’re in peak passion fruit season (July to September), it?s the perfect summer ingredient to highlight right now. Choosing ripe purple passion fruit is straightforward. Look for fruit that is slightly dimpled or wrinkled, but not dried out. A quick sniff will reveal its aromatic sweetness and sure sign of ripeness. To enjoy the fruit, simply cut the tough rind in half and scoop out the cavity filled with orange-colored pulp and tiny seeds. The flavor is a unique mix of musky sweetness and tropical tartness, making it a versatile ingredient for various culinary creations. Some love it pure, or on top of vanilla ice cream. But it also adds great complexity to smoothies, cocktails, and pastries, not to mention it freezes surprisingly well if you?re unsure what to make at the moment of it...