Dessert Recipes
Grapefruit Almond Tart
What do we love most about this tart? Well, besides the fact that it’s just gorgeous, it’s a study in contrasts: rich, nutty decadence meets sprightly fruit to create a superbly balanced dessert!
The shortbread crust is a simple affair — think almond flour, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. As it bakes, it fills the air with tantalizing aromas that recall a decadent brown-butter caramel. And it comes out of the oven with a crumbly, buttery texture that melts in your mouth. (In the test kitchen, we couldn’t resist breaking off pieces of the crust and nibbling on them in the corner. Yeah, we had to bake a second crust, but it was so, so worth it.)
The floral almond notes in the crust pair beautifully with the fresh, sunny grapefruit curd filling. The curd’s rich eggs and butter tame the citrus’ infamous bitterness, so all you get is its sweet-tart side. And the texture! It’s so luscious we could swoon, a delightful foil to the snappy shortbread.
We garnish the filling with puckery grapefruit segments, juicy mango slices, and tart raspberries, as well as cool mint and toasted almonds. They brighten the tart’s flavors even more and make it look elegant and modern — like something you’d see in the case at the finest pâtisserie. We like to layer the mango slices so they look origami-esque and cluster the raspberries and almonds into little bouquets. But we encourage you to get in touch with your creative side and come up with your own jaw-dropping design!
This grapefruit almond tart is perfect for special occasions and big to-dos because you can make most of it in advance: The crust can sit on the counter for a day or two; the curd in the fridge. So day-of, all you have to do is assemble, no additional baking required. Plus, it’s a dessert that works year-round. We’d make it for a celebratory dinner in winter and then pull out the recipe again for a summer tea party in the garden.
Servings: 8 to 10
Share:
Grapefruit Almond Tart
For the almond shortbread crust:
For the grapefruit curd:
For decorating the tart:
Directions
To make the almond shortbread crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until the flour and butter are combined but the dough is still crumbly, 30 seconds.
Pat the dough into a smooth disc, and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour or until the dough is firm.
Preheat the oven to 400º. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Carefully roll the dough into a 12” round, approximately ¼” thick.
Carefully lift the dough and transfer it to a 9” tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan. If it crumbles, that’s okay. Just press it back together. Trim the edges of the dough, leaving about 1” of dough hanging over the edges of the pan.
Transfer the tart pan to a rimmed sheet pan, line the dough with parchment paper, and fill the parchment with pie weights. Freeze for 15 minutes. Bake the tart shell for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Remove the parchment and pie weights, use a microplane to shave the edges of the tart pan to an even level, and unmold the shell from the pan. Set aside.
To make the grapefruit curd filling: In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the grapefruit zest, juice, salt, and ½ cup of the sugar until almost dissolved.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ cup sugar and the eggs until light and fluffy. Slowly pour the beaten eggs into the grapefruit juice while whisking to combine.
In a small bowl, stir together the cold water and powdered gelatin. Set aside to bloom.
Set the bowl of custard over a saucepan filled with 2” of water to create a double boiler. Cook the curd, while whisking constantly, until it thickens and reads 178ºF on an instant read thermometer, about 12 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the heat, stir in the bloomed gelatin, and whisk vigorously to dissolve.
Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Add the diced butter and using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.
Place the tart shell on a tray. Pour the curd into the tart shell, smooth the top with an offset spatula, and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
To serve: Garnish with grapefruit segments, mangoes, raspberries, mint leaves, and almonds. Serve cold, and enjoy! Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Source: Ingredient