When the Farmer's Hand You Oro Blanco Grapefruit...

The Market Inspiration
Grapefruit is a favorite breakfast of mine and I love to find ways to expand its use in dishes throughout the day. A variety of grapefruit I've found at the market recently is the Oro Blanco. A hybrid of a traditional Grapefruit and a pomelo, it has a light yellow fruit inside and has a subtler lemon/lime flavor.

Dessert is a great place to incorporate citrus, especially grapefruit, as it is ideal for brightening up sweets and balancing them out. For this post, we've made Oro Blanco Grapefruit Tartlets. They are the perfect dessert to transition from winter to spring. The filling combines the rich sweetness of a pastry cream with the tart bright bite you get from lemon curd. Tartlets can be a great dessert to make the night before and right before serving put the cream into the tart shells. I've also made a variation of the traditional dough that is a "Free and Friendly" version to help make this dessert for a wider variety of family and friends to try. You can pair the free and friendly tartlet shells with a whipped coconut cream and grapefruit filling.

The Recipe
Oro Blanco Pastry Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. vanilla bean paste
3 egg yolks
2 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 1 Oro Blanco Grapefruit
1 Tbs. butter

In a heavy saucepan heat the cream over medium-low heat with the vanilla bean paste until it just starts to simmer gently. (If you only have vanilla extract add it in later with the butter.)

While the cream is warming, whisk together the eggs, flour, cornstarch, and sugar. Add 1/2 cup of the simmered cream to your egg mixture and whisk until well combined. Add back to the rest of the heavy cream on the stove and stir constantly until it begins to thicken over low heat. Once you see the filling begin to thicken add the grapefruit juice. Continue to stir until thickened. Take off the stove and pour the cream into a clean glass bowl. Mix in the butter and cover with plastic wrap. Set in the fridge to cool completely.

Tartlet Dough
1 stick cold butter, cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2-3 Tbs cold water

Combine the flour and sugar. Work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add 2 tablespoons cold water and mix until just combined. (If too dry, add 1 additional tablespoon of cold water.) Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Roll out your dough and cut rings of dough 1 inch wider than your tartlet mold. Add the dough to the molds and pierce with a fork in the bottom and sides.

Bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes until the edges of the shells turn golden brown. Rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

"Free and Friendly" Tartlet Dough
2 cups hazelnuts

1 cup dates, pitted

2 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. teff flour

In a food processor blend the hazelnuts, dates, and water until a coarse mixture forms. Move to a bowl, then add the vegetable oil and teff flour until well combined.

Grease the tart shells with oil and press the dough into the shells.

Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes until the shells begin to brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

The Pairing
The perfect pairing for this bright dessert is a walk or hike outside with your family, enjoying all the beauty and nature that spring brings. -Z

Thanks to Ashley of Honeydew Ink for taking all of the photos for this post. Follow Ashley on Instagram @honeydew_ink