My grapefruit brulee and ricotta toast gets a really tasty finish with a drizzle of grapefruit balsamic vinegar that has been cooked down to a syrup. Talk about a “tah-dah” moment. So good.
If you follow me, you know I love breakfast and brunch toasts. They are so easy and fun to make. Just think about the possible toppings…endless. The whipped ricotta is the foundation and the base for this toast. I’ve used it to make Whipped Ricotta Toast with Berries and Honey, Whipped Ricotta Toast with Cherries and Hot Honey and my Apricot & Whipped Ricotta Breakfast Toast. As you can tell, I’m a big fan.
To start, you want to make the whipped ricotta and toast your bread. Using a hand mixer, beat the ricotta cheese with a little vanilla extract, some confectioner’s sugar and a splash of milk to loosen it up. Just beat it until light and fluffy. You can adjust the sweetness with more or less sugar. Put the bowl to the side. Toast your bread and and chop your nuts.
Now, it is time to make the “drizzle” for the top. Sooooo good!
The vinegar is a bit of a star here. I just put it in a small pot over medium high heat and bring it to a boil. Let it boil for about a minute, then take it off the heat. As it cools, it will start to thicken up into a syrupy consistency…almost like honey. I love to use flavored balsamic to emphasize the flavor of the fruit. In this recipe, I used flavored grapefruit white balsamic vinegar from Patricia and Paul.
Next up, are the grapefruit segments. You can easily purchase already cut grapefruit segments in the produce department or in jars in the chilled section of the grocery store. I cut my own. Here’s how to cut your own grapefruit segments from a fresh grapefruit.
- Cut off the ends using a sharp knife. Work over a bowl to catch all that great grapefruit juice. (Perfect to use in other recipes like salad dressing.)
- If the grapefruit is large, cut the grapefruit in half. Cut the grapefruit in half crosswise, not lengthwise. If you have a small red grapefruit, you do not need to cut it in half.
- Loosen the segments with a grapefruit knife or a small, sharp paring knife. I loosen the segments from the thin membrane that surrounds them. Cut along the edge of each segment, making sure to cut all the way to the center of the grapefruit. You will do this on each side of the grapefruit segment, releasing it and creating a grapefruit supreme.
- You can remove the segments (supremes) easily once they’ve been released. Start at one end of the grapefruit and work your way around to the other end.
- Repeat for the other half (if you’ve cut them in half).
- You are ready to eat or work with the grapefruit segments immediately, or you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
If you like brunch as much as I do, try some of my favorite each recipes:
Grapefruit Brûlée and Ricotta Toast
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 Slices of crusty bread, toasted
- 1 Cup Light or Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
- 1 Tbsp. Confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla
- Splash of milk, heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1/2 Cup Red or Pink Grapefruit supremes
- 1-2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
- 1/4 Cup Patricia and Paul White Balsamic Grapefruit Vinegar
- 2 Tbsps. Hazelnuts, finely chopped or crushed
- Pinch of flaky salt (optional)
Instructions
- Heat your oven’s broiler to high. Toast your bread.
- Using a hand mixer, beat the ricotta, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and splash of milk in a chilled bowl until light and fluffy. Put to the side.
- Heat the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan on the stove until boiling. Let boil about a minute and take off the heat. The vinegar will get syrupy as it sits.
- Lay your grapefruit supremes on a tin foil lined baking sheet. Top each grapefruit segment evenly with the brown sugar. Put under the broiler for about a minute. Watch carefully. You want the sugar to melt and caramelize just like creme brûlée but you don’t want it to burn. Once done, remove from the oven.
- Slater each piece of toast with half the ricotta mixture. Top each with half of the caramelized grapefruit. Drizzle with the balsamic syrup and sprinkle with the crushed hazelnuts and a little flaky salt if using. Enjoy!
