Grapefruit Tarts Will Take Care of All Your Dessert-for-Breakfast Needs

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Arrange the already-baked cookies on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant, 6 to 7 minutes; cool completely.

Step 2

In a food processor, process the twice-baked gingersnap cookies into fine crumbs, 45 seconds to 1 minute (you should have 1½ cups of crumbs). Add the butter, both sugars, cornstarch, water, and salt and pulse until the mixture holds together when pinched between your fingers, 25 to 30 pulses.

Step 3

Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and bake until the crust is golden and set, 12 to 13 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.

Step 4

In a small (2-quart) saucepan, bring the grapefruit juice to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook until the juice has reduced to ½ cup, pouring the liquid into a measuring cup every 5 minutes to check the amount, for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature in the saucepan, 30 minutes.

Step 5

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt, then whisk in the reduced grapefruit juice a little at a time and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking and dropping the butter into the mixture in small pieces until the curd thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 8 to 9 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil or the curd may curdle.

Step 6

Remove from the heat and press through a fine-mesh sieve with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula into a medium bowl. Stir in the zest, then cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly against the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming, and cool for 15 minutes. Pour the curd into the cooled crust, smooth the top with an offset spatula, and chill until set, 2 hours.

Step 7

Using a serrated knife, cut the skin away from the grapefruit, then cut the grapefruit between the membranes into segments. Arrange the segments on a paper towel–lined plate to soak up any additional juice, then refrigerate to firm. Arrange the grapefruit segments on top of the tart in a decorative pattern, release the tart from the sides of the pan, and transfer to a serving plate.