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: 10 to 12
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Grapefruit Almond Tart
Ingredients
Directions
To make the almond shortbread crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the flours and salt.
In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until the flour and butter are combined but the dough is still crumbly.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it into a smooth ball, and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until the dough is firm.
Preheat the oven to 350º.
Generously flour a piece of parchment paper. Place the dough on the parchment and roll it into a 12” round, approximately ⅛” thick.
Place a tart pan with a removable bottom on top of the dough and gently invert it, pressing the dough into the pan. Trim the edges of the dough, leaving about 1” of dough hanging over.
Using a fork, dock the bottom of the tart shell to prevent the dough from puffing up and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the crust from the oven and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
To make the grapefruit curd filling: In a heatproof bowl, combine the sugar, grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice, eggs, egg yolks, and butter.
In a saucepan, bring 2” of water to boil and place the heatproof bowl over it to create a double boiler. Reduce the heat to medium, and whisk the grapefruit curd continuously, until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon or reaches a temperature of 180º to 190º.
Immediately remove the curd from the heat, and strain it through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap against the surface of the curd, and refrigerate until the curd is cooled, at least 1 hour.
To assemble the tart: Using a paring knife, trim the excess crust off the top of the tart shell and then remove it from the pan. Use a microplane to even out any uneven edges on the tart shell.
Spread the curd evenly in the crust, and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours to allow the curd to set.
Garnish with the grapefruit, mangoes, raspberries, mint leaves, and almonds. Serve cold, and enjoy!
Recipe source: Joy Oliver