Anyone have great grapefruit dessert recipes?

I love grapefruit, and I am currently having a serious craving for something sweet involving this wonderful fruit.

I've never really heard of anything beyond grapefruit sorbet...but am hoping there are some baked goods out there as well.

Please help, I'm desperate! :)

[chefathome]

Grapefruit Pistachio Tart: http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Des...

[Chocolatechipkt]

I made grapefruit bars (like lemon bars) last night. They were good, but I wanted more sharp grapefruity taste. I used my same Barefoot Contessa-based lemon bar recipe, which is pretty tart, but the final grapefruit flavor didn't have the same punch. Any suggestions?

[robhandel]

Maybe try adding some lemon juice along with the grapefruit? Grapefruit is really more bitter than tart, so the lemon juice might brighten it up a bit and help make it tarter.

[Chocolatechipkt]

Hmm, that's a good idea ... thanks! :)

[robhandel]

No problem! Good luck and let us know how it comes out if you try again!

[lilgi]

Here's a really nice cheesecake Dorie did with grapefruit and ginger:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[magiesmom]

I love this grapefruit cake. It is a smitten kitchen adaptation of an Ina Garten recipe
http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/01/cak...

[CeeBee]

I once swapped out grapefruit for lemon in a basic lemon bar recipe and it was delicious. Used ruby reds, so they were a lovely color, too. I don't recall which recipe I used, but your favorite or one from a trusted source should work.
Also, Ina's Lemon Cake, but with, again, ruby red grapefruit. Yum.

[biondanonima]

I haven't tried this, but I clipped this recipe for a Grapefruit Cake from a magazine somewhere - it looks delicious, and the Brown Derby hotel in Disney is apparently "famous" for it. The link may or may not be the exact same thing as the recipe I clipped, but it looks quite similar (can't find my original now).

http://allears.net/din/rec_grck.htm

[buttertart]

I've made this (from a recipe in Jean Anderson's Century Cookbook) and it's very good but needs to be eaten up same day. Good for a party but not a keeper.

[decolady]

I haven't baked this, but I've had the cake at the Brown Derby in Disney Studios. It's delicious.

[Steve Green]

Just in passing, it originally came from the (long-gone) Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood -- since the cake contained grapefruit, it was supposed to be a "diet" cake. With cream cheese frosting. ;o)

Here's one story of its origin:
http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/03...

[Emme]

i know this thread is 6 years old, but i just wanted to throw in a nod for grapefruit curd...wonderful with shortbread cookies (i like to make mine with browned butter and part almond flour) or scones or even over vanilla ice cream.

[robhandel]

Do you have a recipe you could share Emme?

[Emme]

depends upon the size of the fruits and the sweetness, but try and adjust to taste...

4 egg yolks
1 or 1/2 grapefruits fully juiced and zested (don't worry about seeds)
start w/ 1/2 cup sugar (add more later if too tart)
4 tbsp butter

put over double boiler and stir constantly til thickened a bit (not too much). when it starts to coat the side of the bowl some. then pour through a strainer and cover with plastic wrap and stick in fridge to firm and set up. you can adjust sweetener after it's thickened, just return to heat and let sugar dissolve. can also add herbs like basil if you so desire.

[robhandel]

Thanks Emme!

[AmandaCA]

I was thinking this too. And if you have a curd you can make a tart. Maybe a grapefruit tart topped with sugared grapefruit segments and lime zest? I make a passionfruit curd all the time here in Hawaii.

[Querencia]

I have had great success serving a big cutglass bowl of grapefruit segments, slightly sugared. People are used to having it on the half-shell and regard a bowl of pure grapefruit bites as something luxurious. It's a little tedious to segment six or eight grapefruit but you can put some good music on and just do it.

[buttertart]

Segmented citrus is lovely. You could add pomegranate seeds to sex it up a bit, the flavors are great together.

[cheesecake17]

That's the first dessert I go for when I see it!

[kosherfoodies]

take any citrus fruit recipe (cake, cookie, whatever) and substitute grapefruit juice and zest.

[Pia]

Or any plain cake recipe and put in zest and a little juice. I also like grapefruit zest in my pancakes.

Wow...my mouth is watering. I am going to try them all, starting with the "grapefruit meringue pie". My family won't know what hit 'em.

Do you have a good lemon meringue pie recipe to convert, or do you need one? Grapefruit meringue pie really is good.

I would love one if you've got it...wouldn't really know where to begin on conversion, now that I think about it. Do you have a favorite?

Here's my recipe. Enjoy.

Grapefruit Meringue Pie

Ingredients:
Baked 9 inch pie shell
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup water
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons grated grapefruit peel
Meringue:
4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, water and salt in saucepan; heat to boiling.

2. Mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to make smooth paste; add to boiling mixture gradually, stirring constantly; cook until thick and clear, remove from heat.

3. Combine egg yolks and grapefruit juice; stir into thickened mixture. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until mixture bubbles again. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and grapefruit peel. Cover and cool until lukewarm.

4. For meringue: Add salt to egg whites; beat until frothy. Gradually add ½ cup sugar until glossy peaks are formed.

5. Stir 2 rounded tablespoons of meringue into lukewarm filling. Pour filling into cooled pieshell. Pile remaining meringue on top and spread lightly over filling, spreading evenly to edge of crust.

6. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven about 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool on rack for at least one hour before cutting.

Amazing. Thanks. We're going with it tonight. I may have to just sneak some of those yummy Texas reds before then, though...

I'll let you know how it comes out!

Everything went great until I took the pie out of the oven...it was jiggling unnaturally, which I'd never experienced with my lemon meringue pies. I took it as a bad sign. Upon cutting into it, I discovered that the filling didn't hold (it was much looser than it was when I was mixing it - basically a liquid at this point)...I assume I must have missed a spot with the meringue when "sealing" it to the crust, but I guess I can't be sure. Any thoughts?

Argh.

I just reviewed the recipe.... and it looks okay. My source (and pie bible) is Farm Journal's Complete Pie Book. I have made this recipe for years with either grapefruit or lemon and it has always come through for me.

So let's see...

1. Did you let the pie filling cool down to lukewarm (just slightly warmer than room temp)?

2. You said you completely covered with meringue....that's important also... okay

3. The oven was preheated to 325 degrees?And you baked it just 15 minutes?

4. You let it cool at least an hour before cutting? This is crucial. I let mine set for a couple hours if I can at room temp.

Otherwise, I remain clueless. So sorry. ;-(

Make no mistake - you have no blame in this, and neither does your recipe - believe me. I made a mistake somewhere and I am almost certain that I did not cover the whole thing with meringue to get a good "seal". Now that I think about it, I also may not have let the filling cool to lukewarm, either. The bottom line is, I rushed it. What's nice, however, is that practice makes perfect - tomorrow night I ride again! (I'm determined!)

Love the recipe. And thanks for checking in and helping me feed my love for grapefruit. I'll keep you posted on my degree of success! ;)

[robhandel]

I know this is about 6 years too late, but I just wanted to clarify something. I don't think the meringue had anything to do with the filling not setting. The reason that the meringue has to be sealed is because otherwise it will shrink from the sides and you'll end up with a blob of meringue in the middle of the pie as opposed to meringue coving the whole pie.

[bushwickgirl]

You're correct about that, even after six years, and in looking at TrishUntrapped's recipe, I see no issue with the amounts of any of the ingredients. The OP, who no longer posts to CH as far as I know, must have measured something incorrectly, or possibly didn't cook the filling long enough prior to baking. I usually give a cornstarch/citrus based filling a few minutes of simmer time, even after the eggs yolks are tempered in.

Oh, well...I have a mind to try this pie, as I also love everything grapefruit.

[Chocolatechipkt]

I definitely want to try this. We're a family of grapefruit lovers here ... so good!

[TrishUntrapped]

Wow, this thread is a blast from the past! I haven't made Grapefruit Meringue Pie in eons. If I get some decent grapefruit, I'll have to. Has anyone else tried it?

[bushwickgirl]

As white grapefruits are 6 for $2 right now in NYC, I'm going to give it a go this weekend. I'll post back.

There are some nice grapefruit dessert recipes here:

Link: http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/sear...

A terrific, easy and very retro grapefruit brunch/dessert dish:

Halve one grapefruit per two people and put each half in an individual oven proof dish, cut-side up. With a sharp knife, cut around the grapefruit flesh on each half between the peel and the flesh and around the skin on each section. (This makes for easier eating later.) Dot each half with butter and sprinkle with a generous amount of brown sugar. Put the dishes in a 350 degree oven for ~7 minutes or until the butter and sugar has melted and the grapefruit is warmed through. Serve with grapefruit spoons and pretend not to notice when your guests lick their bowls. :)

[Euonymous]

My mother used to make this all the time. It is fantastic!

[sunflwrsdh]

I've made this, and it is really the only way I like grapefruit. (Except for my brother-in-law's Ruby Reds, picked fresh from his tree, juiced, and spike with Absolut!)

[jessinEC]

Maida Heatter has a version of this: use butter, honey and a bit of rum (if you want). Add some water to the dish and then broil for a few minutes. You've really got to watch it -- lots of toasty spots, one or two black spots and then OUT. She also has a neat trick of paring off a bit of the peel on the back (not-cut side) so that the grapefruit sits flat in the baking dish and on your plate.

One of my favorite desserts is a replication of a grapefruit dessert I had at Domaine de Beauvoir in the Loire Valley.

Pink or dark ruby grapefruit segments arranged in a shallow oven-proof dish, napped with a sweet sabayon sauce and run under the broiler until the top is golden. It's extremely elegant and complex and goes great with a Sauternes.

There is a current Jacques Pepin episode where he makes a Pink Grapefruit Terrine with orange sauce. It looked very good. The terrine is essentially grapefruit segments in a liquid consisting of the extra juice, gelatin, honey and mint. The surrounding sauce is a combination of orange marmalade, orange juice, and Grand Marnier. I think the recipe is in his current book.

Link: http://www.kqed.org/w/jpfastfood/book...

Here is a site with a bunch of grapefruit dessert recipes. I suggest not starting with this one. Made me laugh out loud. Marshmallows and KoolWhip anyone?

Link: http://www.texasweet.com/consumers/de...

Great topic--I don't cook w/ grapefruit enough. I don't recall ever encountering a baked dessert incorporating grapefruit, but I'm sure they're out there.

My MIL makes a very simple yet delicious grapefruit dessert w/ prunes adapted from Jacques Pepin, I believe. Basic recipe: Fan out grapefruit segments on each plate to look like a star. In a saucepan on med. heat, steep some prunes in good red wine and a little sugar til prunes swell and soften and liquid is reduced to a thin syrup. Star anise and/or clove thrown in might be nice too. Arrange a few prunes atop grapefruit on each plate and drizzle w/ syrup. Serve alone or w/ shortbread or butter cookies. Goes well w/ port.

Grapefruit meringue pie is terrific, substituting fresh squeezed grapefruit juice for lemon.

This IS a great topic. How about Brown Derby Grapefruit cake? There are two recipes in Jean Anderson's American Century Cookbook and I'm sure one is available on line.
I've never made it, though.
I'm also sure there are some good grapfruit ice creams.

[mamachef]

+1 on the cake. Amazing and unexpected.