Grapefruit Curd Tarts with Brown Butter Crust
These bittersweet tarts are made with refreshing grapefruit curd in tender brown butter tart shells and topped with soft cream.
Equipment
- Little tart molds or ramekins
Ingredients
Brown Butter Tart Crust
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon grapefruit zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons ice water
Grapefruit Curd
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
- 3 ounces cold unsalted butter, diced
Egg Wash
- 1 egg white, beaten
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
To brown the butter:
- Melt butter in a saucepan. Continue cooking on medium until dark brown, swirling pan occasionally. Butter will begin to smell toasty and be on the verge of burning at the bottom with little brown flecks all over.
- Remove from heat and immediately pour into a small bowl. Chill until completely firm, at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
To make the tart dough:
- Put flour, powdered sugar, zest, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times until combined. Add brown butter, cut or pinched into small pieces. Pulse a few more times, until butter is evenly distributed and pea-sized.
- Beat egg yolk and ice water together; add to food processor and blend until just starting to form a ball. If needed, you can add another teaspoon or so of water to get the dough to come together.
- Pour dough out onto a clean counter and gently knead together with your hands just until it comes together.
- Pat dough into a flattened ball, wrap with plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
For the curd:
- In a small stainless steel bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, and zest until thoroughly combined. Whisk in eggs, then citrus juices.
- Place bowl over a pot with about 1 inch of barely simmering water. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently until thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add butter, whisking to melt and incorporate.
- Strain mixture if needed, to remove any lumps. Chill completely.
To make the tarts:
- Roll out tart dough to about 1/4 – 1/8 inch thickness on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Try to avoid adding any extra flour at this stage.
- Cut pieces of dough slightly larger than the tart molds or ramekins you're using. Gently tuck dough into ramekins, pressing along sides. Roll over the top of the mold with the rolling pin to make smooth and even and set aside any extra dough. Once all your ramekins are lined, chill for at least 10 minutes in the freezer until firm.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375° F. Once tart dough is thoroughly chilled, line them with parchment paper and pie weights or beans.
- Bake until completely cooked through and lightly golden brown, about 18-25 minutes, depending on how thin you rolled them.
- Remove parchment and weights. Brush with beaten egg white and bake another minute or two (this helps prevent crust from getting soggy later). Cool completely.
For the whipped cream:
- Place cream in a mason jar, close the lid, and shake vigorously until soft peaks form. Alternatively, whip by hand or use an electric mixer.
To assemble the tarts:
- Pour chilled grapefruit curd into cooled tart shells. Pipe or dollop whipped cream on top and decorate as desired.
Notes
Best served cold or at room temperature.
These tarts keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator, but are best eaten the day they’re made.
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