Grapefruit Meringue Shells Recipes

GRAPEFRUIT MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• On a floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°., Line pie crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edges are golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in grapefruit juice and water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir 1/2 cup of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in butter and extract. Pour hot filling into crust. , In a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edges to crust. , Bake at 350° until the meringue is golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

GRAPEFRUIT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200º F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Add egg whites and sugar to the bowl of a standing electric mixer. Whisk to combine. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with just enough simmering water to heat the egg mixture without touching the bottom of the bowl. Stir constantly with a silicone spatula, scraping down the sides frequently until the sugar melts and the mixture reaches 140º F (once the mixture begins to lose its grittiness, check frequently with an instant-read thermometer).
• Carefully transfer the hot bowl to a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the meringue is fluffy and has cooled to room temperature (this will take some time).
• In the meantime, zest the grapefruit into a small bowl, working carefully to remove the topmost layer. Once finished, slice grapefruit in half and squeeze 2 teaspoons of the juice into the bowl with the zest. Mix well and mash with the side of a silicone spatula.
• Once the meringue has cooled, press the grapefruit solids to one side of the bowl. Reduce mixer speed and pour the liquid into the meringue (it's okay if a few stray bits of zest pour in with the liquid). Add food coloring, if using. Whisk on high speed until evenly combined.
• Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip (Wilton 1M or 2D work great) and fill the bag with the meringue. Remove parchment paper from the baking sheets and add a dab of the remaining meringue on the spatula or whisk to the four corners of each baking sheet (this will help the parchment stick to the baking sheets during piping). Replace parchment paper and smooth it down over the sticky meringue.
• To pipe roses, begin piping in a spiral outward from a central point. After completing about 1 1/2 rotations, begin releasing the pressure slowly as you continue dragging the tip in a circular motion.
• Bake meringues in preheated oven until crisp but not browned, about 2 to 3 hours. Let meringues cool completely in the oven with the heat turned off. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

GRAPEFRUIT AND PEPPER MERINGUE TARTLETS

Steps:

• For the grapefruit curd: Measure 6 tablespoons/90 milliliters of grapefruit juice into a pan and whisk together with the zest, sugar, salt and eggs over a gentle heat. Sift in the cornflour and continue to whisk. Don't stop whisking at any point, otherwise the eggs will curdle.
• Once the curd is as thick as pureed tomatoes and has released a bubble or two, take it off the heat and whisk in the butter a cube at a time. Pour into a bowl and cover with cling film, placing it in direct contact with the curd to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate for at least an hour (best overnight).
• For the biscuit base: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C/Gas 4 and butter six 3- by 2-inch/8- by 5-centimeter metal dessert rings.
• Cream together the butter and sugar with the salt and lemon zest until fluffy and pale in colour. Add the egg yolks and continue to beat. Sift the flour and baking powder together, add to the creamed mixture and continue beating until the dough comes together as a smooth paste.
• Put the dough into a piping bag fitted with a 1/3-inch/1-centimeter round nozzle. Pipe the dough into the rings in a spiral working from the outside towards the centre until the base is completely covered by a 1/8-inch/3- to 4-millimeter layer, and then pipe a ring round the edge to create a little dip for the curd to sit in. Bake until golden (but not too dark), 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove the biscuit base from the oven and leave to cool for a couple of minutes before running a small sharp knife around the inside of each ring to release the biscuit. Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack (be careful as they're fragile) and leave to cool.
• For the Italian meringue: Put the sugar into a pan with 1 fluid ounce/40 milliliters water and place on a high heat. Bring to the soft-ball stage (245 degrees F/118 degrees C on a sugar thermometer) which will take about 10 minutes. To test without a thermometer, drop a tiny bit of sugar syrup into a bowl of very cold water. When it forms a soft sticky ball, it is ready.
• While waiting for the sugar syrup, start whisking the egg whites with the salt in a clean glass or metal bowl. Whisk until a light froth forms, stopping before any soft peaks can be formed. Once the sugar syrup has reached the soft-ball stage, beat the egg whites at the same time as pouring the syrup onto them in a thin stream. (Don't pour the syrup over the whisk, but down the side of the bowl.) Add the pepper and continue to whisk for 10 minutes or until the egg whites are glossy and stiff.
• To assemble, place a generous tablespoon of the grapefruit curd on top of the biscuits, followed by the meringue. Either place under a very hot grill for a couple of minutes or use a blowtorch to brown.

PINK GRAPEFRUIT MERINGUE PIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the pie crust: In a resealable plastic bag, crush the graham crackers. Transfer the crushed graham crackers into a big bowl and mix in the grated dark chocolate shavings, brown sugar, and melted butter. Line 6 (4-inch) mini pie molds with the crust mixture, making crust about 1/8-inch thick. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then cool.
• To make the filling: In a bowl, combine egg yolks, fresh pink grapefruit juice, fresh lemon juice, pink grapefruit zest, and lemon zest. Mix and set aside. In a heavy saucepan add: brown sugar, cornstarch, a pinch of sea salt, and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat whisking constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Slowly whisk in a small portion of this mixture to the egg yolks-citrus mixture. Cook's Note: Be careful not to cook the yolks.
• Whisk the egg yolk-citrus mixture back into the pot, reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and whisk for 8 more minutes, until very thick. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• To make the meringue: In clean bowl, combine the 4 egg whites, white sugar, and white vinegar. Using electric mixer or whisk, whip until stiff peaks form.
• Evenly divide and spoon the chilled citrus filling into the graham cracker crusts and top with lots of meringue. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the meringues brown slightly.

MERINGUE-TOPPED BAKED GRAPEFRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Halve fruit crosswise and discard any visible seeds. Cut segments free from membranes with a sharp paring knife without removing them.
• Arrange grapefruit halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle tops evenly with brown sugar.
• Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until whites just hold soft peaks. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating at high speed until meringue is stiff and glossy.
• Generously dollop (or, alternatively, decoratively pipe) meringue onto grapefruit halves and bake in middle of oven until meringue is golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Just Whites (can be substituted for the egg whites, which are not fully cooked, if salmonella is a problem in your area). Available at many supermarkets and New York Cake & Baking Distributors (800-942-2539).

MERINGUE SHELLS

Steps:

• Beat all ingredients together well. Then beat in slowly 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup at a time.
• Beat until mixture forms very stiff peaks.
• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
• Divide meringue into 8 circles on waxed paper. Slightly hollow out centers and make a stand-up ridge around outside of meringue shells.
• Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.
• Let cool on pan.
• To serve, fill shells with vanilla ice cream and top with sweetened sliced strawberries.

RED GRAPEFRUIT WITH BRULEED MERINGUE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler, with rack in lowest position. Put the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Raise speed to high, and add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until incorporated. Continue to beat until the egg whites hold stiff (but not dry) peaks, about 3 minutes.
• Place grapefruit halves, cut sides down, on a large plate; let drain 2 minutes. Invert, and carefully cut between membranes to loosen segments completely. Spoon one-quarter of meringue onto each half, using the spoon to create swirls and peaks. Transfer to a baking pan. Broil, checking frequently, until meringues are browned, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.Note: The eggs in this dish will not be fully cooked, so it should not be prepared for pregnant women, babies, young children, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised.

MERINGUE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until soft peaks form. Add vanilla, and slowly beat in sugar until very stiff and glossy. Spread mixture into a 9 inch pie plate to form a shell.
• Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 50 minutes. Turn oven off, and leave meringue in oven for 1 hour. Cool.

GRAPEFRUIT VANILLA MERINGUE 'PIE'

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• With a very sharp knife, cut a slice from the bottom and top of a grapefruit, cutting into the fruit. Stand the grapefruit up on a work surface, and slice off the peel and white pith in vertical slices, exposing the fruit segments (cut slightly into the fruit part). Use your knife to gently slice between the exposed white membranes, and loosen the grapefruit segments into a bowl. Pick out any seeds. Repeat with remaining grapefruit. Shake any droplets of juice into the bowl as you work.
• Gently stir the brown sugar and vanilla extract into the fruit until the sugar has dissolved; spoon into a 1-quart baking dish. Beat the egg whites and sugar in a glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture forms soft, glossy peaks. Spread the fruit with the ice cream, and spoon the meringue on top of the grapefruit in decorative peaks and swirls.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the meringue is golden brown, about 7 minutes.