Grapefruit rarely get the spotlight, but it's all about the sweet-tart grapefruit in this Ginger Grapefruit Tart! A sweet, grapefruit-and-ginger pastry crust filled with grapefruit curd and topped with toasted honey meringue and crystallized ginger!
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter, sugar, and salt. Mix on low speed just until combined, then increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add egg and orange zest, mixing to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
With the mixer on low speed, add the pastry flour and ground ginger. Mix just until the dough starts to come together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times (the more you handle the dough, the less tender it will be!) until the dough is smooth. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Spray 9" tart pan (see note) with nonstick spray. Set aside. Once the dough has chilled, place on a lightly floured surface and roll to about ⅛" thick and about 1" larger than the pan you are using.
Roll dough up onto the rolling pin, position next to pan, and then unroll the pastry into the pan. Avoid stretching the dough, as it can cause it to shrink while baking. Trim the edges of the dough. Patch any tears or holes in the dough with the excess.
Dock the dough with a fork and freeze 20 minutes. While the dough is chilling, preheat oven to 375° F.
Remove crust from the freezer, line with foil or parchment paper, and fill with pie weights (see note). Bake crust 18 minutes, then remove the foil/parchment and pie weights. Return to the oven to bake an additional 8-10 minutes, or until golden. Allow crust to cool completely on a wire rack.
For Curd:
Place the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl. Beat the yolks and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch, whisking to break up any lumps.
Gradually add the grapefruit juice and water to the sugar mixture, whisking to ensure the mixture is smooth. Cook over medium-high heat until bubbly and thick, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and cook two minute longer, still stirring.
Take about a cup of the hot grapefruit mixture and slowly drizzle into the beaten yolks, whisking constantly. This will temper the eggs so they don't scramble. Once combined, Pour the yolk mixture into the pan.
Continuing to stir constantly, bring the curd to a gentle boil, then allow to cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, whisking until it is incorporated.
Pour the curd into the baked and cooled crust. (If you're worried about lumps or see a stray bit of scrambled egg, you can strain the curd through a fine mesh strainer into the crust.)
Chill the tart until the filling has set, at least four hours, but overnight is better.
For Meringue:
In a large heatproof bowl, whisk all meringue ingredients. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, taking care that the water doesn't touch the bowl.
Whisking constantly, warm the mixture to 160° F, about 8-10 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip using the whisk attachment until it reaches medium-stiff peaks.
Pipe or spoon the meringue on top of the chilled tart. Toast the meringue, if desired (see note). If desired, sprinkle chopped crystallized ginger over the top.Enjoy!
Notes
Note on pastry flour: Pastry flour ensures a very tender crust! If you choose not to use pastry flour, you can use all-purpose flour, but the crust will not be as tender.Note on tart pan: I used a 9" tart pan with removable bottom for this recipe. I prefer a pan that is lighter in color (as opposed to the darker, non-stick pans) because the crust browns more slowly. Note on pie weights: Pie weights help when blind-baking a crust, helping to keep the dough from rising/getting bubbles as it bakes. This makes sure that you have the room that you need for filling. You can buy actual pie weights if you'd like, but I just use black beans. They're cheap and you can use them over and over again. Note on vanilla bean paste: I enjoy the flavor of vanilla bean paste and love the little black flecks that it leaves in baked goods. <3 If you'd rather substitute, you can use an equal measure of vanilla extract.Note on toasting meringue: I use a kitchen torch to toast my meringue. If you don't have a torch, you can put the tart under the broiler, just don't take your eyes off it for a second! I prefer the torch, since it gives more control over the toasting.