Easy and so clean tasting, this is a fantastic alternative to lemon meringue pies.
Makes 8
2 pink grapefruits, segmented
For the pastry
225g butter, softened
125g caster sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
400g plain white flour, plus extra for rolling out
For the grapefruit curd filling
finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 3 pink grapefruits
160g sugar
100g butter, cubed
180g eggs (approximately 4 eggs’ worth), beaten
200g extra egg yolks (approximately 10 eggs’ worth), beaten
For the meringue topping
150g egg whites (approximately 5 eggs’ worth)
300g caster sugar
25g glucose syrup
65ml water
To make the pastry, beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and creamy. Beat in the egg yolk, then sift over the flour and mix just until the pastry comes together. Wrap it in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3. After the pastry has rested, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is about ½cm thick. Cut out 8 circles of dough, each large enough to line a 10cm tart tin with a removable base. Reroll the trimmings as necessary. Line the tins, press a piece of clingfilm in each, then fill with baking beans or rice. Place the pans in the oven and bake the pastry cases for 12 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
Remove the pastry cases from the oven, remove the clingfilm and beans or rice and leave them to cool on wire racks still in the tins.
Meanwhile, make the grapefruit curd filling. Put the grapefruit zest and juice in a saucepan over a high heat and boil until the juice reduces to a glaze. Add the sugar and butter and return to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour in the whole eggs and the yolks, whisking constantly and vigorously, until the mix thickens and looks like it will almost split. When it is thick, remove the pan from the heat and leave the curd to cool, whisking occasionally. Once the curd is completely cool, transfer it to a food processor and blend until smooth. Cover the curd and chill in the fridge until needed.
To make the meringue topping, put the egg whites in a bowl of a freestanding mixer and beat until stiff peaks form. Mix the sugar, water and glucose syrup together in a saucepan over a high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and heat until it reaches 118°C on an instant-read thermometer. With the mixer running, pour the syrup on to the egg whites and continue mixing until the meringue is cool.
Divide the grapefruit curd between the tart cases, then arrange the grapefruit segments on top of each. Pipe the meringue on top of each, like a hedgehog. Use a blowtorch to lightly colour the meringues, then serve immediately.
Tom’s Tip
If you’d rather make one large tart, roll out the pastry as above and line a 25cm tart ring on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment or a 25cm tart tin with a removable base. Press a piece of clingfilm in, then fill with baking beans or rice and bake as above for 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. Gently transfer the pastry case to a wire rack to cool. Make the grapefruit curd and meringue topping as above.