Brûléed Grapefruit
There’s something magical about turning simple ingredients into something extraordinary, and brûléed grapefruit is a perfect example. With its sweet caramelized crust and tart, juicy interior, this dish feels like a fancy brunch item but is deceptively easy to make.
Erica’s Thoughts
When I first saw this idea, grapefruit brúlée, I was skeptical. Warm grapefruit? That sounds weird. But I’m a big grapefruit fan so I was intrigued. I made it. And oh my goodness, WHAT. I am shook by how good it is. Yes, the grapefruit gets a little warm, but it makes it sweeter and juicier and so yummy.
I have fond memories of eating grapefruit with my grandparents, my papa was so proud of his ‘grapefruit spoon’ that had little grooves on the end to help release the segments. I love celebrating whatever produce is in season and when winter rolls around gimme all the crunchy pomegranates and juicy grapefruit! Not only is grapefruit delicious, it is a nutrition powerhouse with vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber and lycopene. You’ll surpass the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) for vitamin C by eating just one whole grapefruit!
This bruleed grapefruit is fabulous any time of day but I particularly love it as an afternoon snack. I’ll usually plop on a little Greek yogurt and sprinkle of granola and it’s quick, delicious and satisfies my sweet tooth. I can’t wait for you to try it and let me know what you think!
What You’ll Need to Make Brûléed Grapefruit
Grapefruits: choose ripe grapefruits that feel heavy for their size and have smooth, blemish-free skin. Pink or ruby red grapefruit work best for their natural sweetness.
Turbinado sugar: coarse sugar works best for the signature caramelized sugar crust. Granulated sugar (white sugar) melts into the moisture of the grapefruit and doesn’t get as crispy.
Flaky sea salt: flaky salt adds a touch of balance to the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
Optional toppings: to make this a more balanced snack add a spoonful of Greek yogurt for protein and sprinkle of granola for crunch.
How to Make Brûléed Grapefruit
Prep the Oven: Arrange your oven rack to the top third of the oven (about the second notch down) and preheat to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat. Avoid parchment paper—it will burn under the broiler.
Prepare the Grapefruit: Slice off the top and bottom of each grapefruit so it can sit flat. Cut the grapefruit horizontally to expose the segments in a circular pattern.
Place the grapefruit halves cut-side down on paper towels for 10 minutes to absorb excess grapefruit juice. This step is key for achieving a crisp caramelized top. Use a paring or grapefruit knife to carve around the grapefruit segments, then pat away any additional moisture.
Caramelize: Place the grapefruit halves cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle ½ tablespoon turbinado sugar on top of each half. Put the grapefruit under the oven broiler and broil for 5-8 minutes until the sugar is caramelized and golden brown. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning! If you have one, you could also use a kitchen torch to melt and crisp up the sugar topping.
Finish and Serve: Remove from the oven and sprinkle each half with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately, plain or with toppings like Greek yogurt and granola.
Expert Tips for the Best Brûléed Grapefruit
- Use Ripe Grapefruit: Ripe grapefruits will naturally be sweeter and juicier.
- Don’t Skip the Moisture Step: Remove excess moisture, which is crucial for getting the sugar to caramelize evenly.
- Watch the Broiler: Sugar can go from golden to burnt quickly, so keep a close eye while broiling. If you have a blow torch, this works even better than the broiler!
- Experiment with Toppings: Whipped cream, mascarpone cheese, Greek yogurt, a sprinkle of toasted coconut, granola, or maraschino cherry are all lovely toppings.
FAQs
Yes, but turbinado sugar creates a better caramelized texture because of its larger crystals. If you use white sugar or brown sugar you won’t get as crispy of topping.
Grapefruit brûlée is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prepare the grapefruit halves in advance by slicing and segmenting them. Just wait to add the sugar and broil until right before serving.
The oven rack should be in the top third of the oven, on either the first or second notches.
You can try this method with oranges or blood oranges for a fun twist.
More delicious snack ideas:
HOW GORG IS SHE!?
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Brûléed Grapefruit
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5-8 minutes
- Total Time: 10-13 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Broil
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Tart and juicy with the perfect caramelized sugar crunch, this brûléed grapefruit is great for breakfast, snack or dessert!
Ingredients
- 2 grapefruit, sliced in half
- 2 tablespoons coarse turbinado sugar
- flaky sea salt
- optional toppings: plain Greek yogurt, granola, fresh mint
Instructions
- Arrange oven rack to the top third of the oven, usually in the second notch down from the top. Preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat. Do not use parchment paper, it will burn.
- Slice the top and bottom off of the grapefruit so it can sit flat on a surface. Cut the grapefruit horizontally (not from top to bottom) so you expose the segments in a circular pattern. Place the halves face down on several paper towels for 10 minutes to extract excess moisture. Use a paring knife to carve around and loosen each segment. Pat out any moisture that is released.
- Place grapefruit halves on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle each with ½ tablespoon coarse sugar. Broil for 5-8 minutes until the sugar is caramelized and golden brown. Sprinkle with a couple flakes of salt and serve immediately.
I love to top with plain Greek yogurt and granola!
Notes
Refer to above blog post for process photos and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 grapefruit half
- Calories: 64
- Sugar: 6.8 g
- Sodium: 0.2 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.1 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 0.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
