Grapefruit Gingersnap Pie
User Reviews
4.5
Grapefruit Gingersnap Pie
Description
The Grapefruit Gingersnap Pie features a crust made by processing gingersnaps with walnuts and brown sugar, bound by melted butter, and baked until slightly crisp. The filling is a curd made by whisking together sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, and freshly squeezed grapefruit and lemon juices. The mixture is heated to a boil then thickened and enriched with butter pieces, resulting in a glossy, smooth texture. A minimal amount of pink food coloring enhances the citrus's natural hue. The curd is strained for extra smoothness before chilling in the chilled crust.
This pie offers a tangy and bright flavor profile balanced with the warm spices and nutty texture of the crust. The smooth curd provides a contrast to the crunchy base, making it an appealing dessert for special occasions or as a refreshing treat after meals. Serving it chilled preserves the curd’s firmness and flavor.
Ingredients
crust
- 5 ounces gingersnaps
- 1 cup walnuts
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp butter melted
filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 Tbsp cornstarch
- pinch salt
- 4 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cups grapefruit juice freshly squeezed pink or ruby red, not bottled, strained to remove seeds and pulp
- 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- Food Coloring tiny drop, pink gel
- 5 Tbsp butter cut in 5 pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Put the gingersnaps in a food processor and process until they are fine crumbs (This should be about a heaping cup, in case you're using ready made crumbs) Add the walnuts, and sugar and process again until everything is finely ground. Add the butter and process briefly to combine.
- Pat the crust into a 9 inch pie plate, and up the sides. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Put the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks in a saucepan with a heavy bottom and whisk to combine and break up the yolks. Whisk in the juices and add the tiniest bit of food coloring to enhance the pink tone. Less is more when it comes to the coloring, and the pink will deepen as the curd thickens.
- Heat the mixture on medium heat, whisking or stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Boil for one minute exactly (set the timer.)
- Take off the heat and whisk in the butter pieces, the mixture will be thick and glossy.
- Strain the curd though a mesh strainer if you like, the step is optional, but will remove any little bits of curdled egg. Fill the pie shell immediately, the curd will start to set fairly quickly.
- Let cool and then refrigerate, uncovered, at least 4 hours to let it fully chill and firm up.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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