Grapefruit Honey Curd

Mar 19, 2013 By Cheri in Condiments, Snacks 6 Comments Tags: curd, grapefruit, honey

This week I’m busy packing up my house. We’re moving! Again. You guys must be so sick of hearing that. This time we’re at least staying in the same country, even the same province! ;) Max was so surprised and excited that we actually get to keep all our stuff! The poor guy’s so used to leaving everything behind. But don’t worry, there shouldn’t be any lag on the blog because I made sure to work ahead. I didn’t want to miss out on bringing you yummy Easter treats!

But before we get to Easter, I couldn’t resist sharing one more grapefruit recipe. We’ve been pretty obsessed. This time I decided to turn my grapefruits into a silky smooth curd. Curds are such a versatile ingredient. They can be transformed into tarts, used as fillings for cakes and cupcakes – basically they can be used in any dessert that you can dream up. This time I was aiming beyond desserts. I was going for something that could be swirled into homemade Greek yogurt. Hence the honey. I wanted something a bit more suitable as a healthy snack for my kiddos. Grapefruit yogurt anyone?

I experimented with a couple different versions until I came up with this one. It took a bit of trial an error to get it just right, but I finally got just what I was looking for. It has a nice bright clean flavour that is undeniably grapefruit, with a hint of honey to sweeten it up. And, I’m kind of in love with its creamy colour with the lightest pink tinge.

Use it in a dessert, use it in a snack, the choice is up to you and your imagination.

Grapefruit Honey Curd

1 cup freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice (2 grapefruits)
6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup honey
pinch salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter

Place grapefruit juice in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Simmer rapidly until reduced by half (1/2 cup). This helps to concentrate the grapefruit flavour.

Meanwhile whisk together yolks, honey and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside. Once grapefruit juice is reduced, pour it into egg yolks in a slow steady stream, whisking to incorporate and temper the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and leaves a thick coating on the back of the spatula. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully melted.

Set a fine mesh sieve over a bowl. Strain curd through the sieve to remove any cooked egg or grapefruit seeds. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.

Makes approximately: 1 1/3 cups

Grapefruit Smoothies

Mar 4, 2013 By Cheri in Beverages, Cold, Snacks 4 Comments Tags: Creamy, grapefruit, smoothie, strawberry

I’m majorly in the mood for spring and flavours that are bright and fresh. And, since grapefruit is in season right now and so much sweeter, me and the kids haven’t been able to stay away from it. It’s a great fruit to bridge the gap before all the wonderful spring fruits and veggies come into season. Which is officially less then a month away. I could not be more excited about this fact!

We’ve been slurping up this gem of a smoothie for a couple of weeks now. I’ve got it all down by memory and can be seen throwing things into the blender on autopilot. It is our new favourite.

For this smoothie we use the real deal – one whole (peeled) grapefruit sliced up and thrown in the blender with plenty of other sweet and creamy things – this means you get the full nutritional value of the grapefruit rather then just drinking the juice. Grapefruit is definitely the dominant flavour but the strawberries and banana help round it out and sweeten it up, while the vanilla and yogurt give it a creamy, rich flavour. The result is a refreshing smoothie that tastes like a grapefruit in creamsicle form. Yum!

Grapefruit Smoothies

If your grapefruit is on the tart side feel free to add more sweetener, to taste.

1 ruby red grapefruit
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 ripe banana, peeled
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey

Cut the ends off the grapefruit so you can see the pink flesh. Using that as a guide trim away the skin and the white pith until you have a naked grapefruit (see visual of how to do this here). Slice the grapefruit into thick rounds and remove any seeds. Place the rounds of grapefruit into a blender along with remaining ingredients. Process until smooth.

Makes: 2 large servings or 4 small (about 3 cups total)

Grapefruit Cranberry Marmalade

Oct 31, 2009 By Cheri in Christmas, Condiments, Fall, GF Sides, Gluten Free 27 Comments Tags: citrus, cranberry, grapefruit, jam, marmalade, peel, zest

My life feels a bit like a circus right now. Everything”s going a little crazy and I”m having a hard time keeping my attention in one place. I didn”t even have the time to attempt this months Daring Bakers Challenge, which was the French Macaron. It is something I will have to try and conquer soon because it looks like so much fun! Hopefully things will get back into a regular rhythm soon so that I have more time to share with you dear folks.

The lovely Aimee over at Under the High Chair is hosting a jam swap. I could not resist contributing when I saw this marmalade recipe. I”m not sure what is up with my obsession with cranberries lately, but I can”t seem to get them out of my head. They are like little shining jewels to my minds eye and I simply must have them!

The grapefruit, cranberry combination of this marmalade intrigued me instantly and sounded like perfection. The breathtaking color is so festive and makes these perfect for giving as hostess gifts for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. If you are not a fan of marmalades then this just might be the one that breaks you. And, if you ARE a fan of marmalades then my gut tells me that you will love this! The grapefruit adds a wonderful light burst to the classic citrusy flavour and the cranberries round it out with a deep, robust, bittersweet taste.

This is a simple, straightforward recipe that requires no pectin. Just an hour of boiling 4 ingredients together, allowing it to cool and you have got a perfectly beautiful marmalade! What are you waiting for? :)

Grapefruit Cranberry Marmalade

adapted from myrecipes

4 large grapefruit (about 4 pounds)

1.5 cups water

2.5 cups cranberries

3 cups sugar

Carefully remove the rind of each grapefruit with a vegetable peeler or pairing knife, being careful to avoid the white pith. Slice the rind into thin strips. Place in a large saucepan.

Peel and section the grapefruit: Slice off a piece of both the top and bottom of each grapefruit until the fruit is visible. Place on a cutting board. Starting at the top and following the curve of the fruit, cut away the remaining pith until only the flesh and membrane are left. Holding the fruit on it”s side, slide a pairing knife between one section of fruit and the membrane that is holding it there, loosening it”s hold. Cut alongside the opposite side of the fruit to loosen it from the membrane on the opposite side. Continue all the way along the grapefruit. Place the grapefruit sections into the saucepan and discard the empty membrane.

Add 1.5 cups water to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 min, stirring occasionally.

Stir in cranberries and simmer for another 10 min.

Add sugar and simmer for 30 min until slightly thickened. Continuing to stir occasionally.

Remove from heat and allow to cool 10 min. Poor into jars or plastic containers and allow to cool for another 20 min before putting on lids. Let sit on counter until room temperature. Store in the fridge or freezer.

Makes approx: 5 cups

*This will keep for 3 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.

*Cranberries have enough natural pectin to set this jam by itself. It is important to note that fresh cranberries have more pectin then frozen ones and therefore will set firmer. I did use frozen cranberries for mine and it turned out fine.

*To remove excess pith from the peeled rind: hold the rind firmly, pith side up, with one hand and drag your pairing knife in the opposite direction, shaving away the pith.

Print Recipe