Grapefruit Crèmes Brûlées

Grapefruit Crèmes Brûlées

Yields: 4 servings

• 1 pink or red grapefruit
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy or whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• turbinado sugar
  
  

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large saucepan, heat about 8 cups water to boiling to use later. From grapefruit, grate ½ teaspoon zest into 2- to 3-quart saucepan; squeeze 2 tablespoons juice into large bowl and set aside.

Add granulated sugar to zest in saucepan. With fingertips, rub sugar into zest until sugar appears moist. Add cream, vanilla and salt; heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

In large bowl, with whisk, lightly beat yolks. In slow, steady stream, pour hot cream mixture into yolks, whisking constantly and quickly so yolks don’t scramble. Strain cream mixture through fine-mesh strainer into bowl with grapefruit juice; stir to combine.

Place four 6-ounce ramekins in 13-by-9-inch metal baking pan; fill ramekins with custard mixture. Place pan in oven. Carefully pour boiling water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins; loosely cover ramekins with sheet of foil. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until custards jiggle slightly. Carefully remove ramekins from water; let stand at room temperature until cool. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight. 

About 15 minutes before serving, preheat broiler with rack at closest position to source of heat unless using butane kitchen torch to caramelize sugar. Sprinkle tops of custards evenly with turbinado sugar, shaking off excess. For easier handling, place ramekins in same baking pan without water. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until sugar browns, watching carefully, or use butane torch to caramelize sugar.