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Home » Breakfast » Grapefruit Breakfast Brûlée

Grapefruit Breakfast Brûlée

Original Post: February 20, 2018 Updated: March 21, 2019 By Sarah Trenalone 12 Comments

This easy Grapefruit Breakfast Brûlée is a delicious, lightly sweetened citrus treat that's perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dessert!  (No blow torch?  No problem!)

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This easy Grapefruit Breakfast Brûlée is a delicious, lightly sweetened citrus treat that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dessert!  (No blow torch?  No problem!) 

grapefruit breakfast on a countertop

How do you feel about grapefruit?  Do you love it?  Hate it?  Are you unsure?

Admittedly, until this past year, I hadn’t eaten a grapefruit in YEARS.  And I didn’t remember them fondly.  But, last spring– that all changed.

We flew to Florida for the bestie’s wedding, and stayed with family.  And the family fed us– you guessed it– bright ruby red Florida grapefruit for breakfast each morning.  And it was miraculous.

Later that year, we stayed at a campground in Tucson, Arizona that had fruit trees dotting the landscape.  Fruit trees were EVERYWHERE, and the fruit was free for the picking.  And so I did.  And the main thing I walked back to my tent with was– of course– bright yellow, white-fleshed, juicy, fresh GRAPEFRUIT.

In short, 2017 was the year that I fell in love with grapefruit.

Grapefruit Breakfast Brûlée During Citrus Season

As the seasons changed, and citrus season began to flood our markets and grocery stores at home with blood oranges, pomelos, cara cara oranges, and– you guessed it– grapefruit– I decided to embrace all the citrus in hopes that it would help ward off the epidemic flu levels that have grasped the country.

Typically, I simply devour my citrus as is– without cooking, juicing, or adding a thing to it.  Sometimes, though– I want to do something a little special.

This Grapefruit Breakfast Brûlée is an easy, quick, and utterly delicious way to enjoy winter’s bounty.

Ruby Red Grapefruit on a counter, one cut in half

Which Type of Grapefruit Should I Use?

Use whichever grapefruit you prefer!  Here are some varieties you might find at the store or market:

  • Red grapefruit:  Sweet, very common and easy to find.
  • Pink grapefruit: Sweet, slightly harder to find than red grapefruit.
  • Yellow / White grapefruit: Least sweet, but vibrant flavor.  This used to be the most common, but is becoming harder to find.  (If you can find it, the bitterness of this grapefruit is a beautiful compliment to the sugary crust in this recipe.)
  • Pomelo: This thick-skinned, large fruit is like a cross between a grapefruit and an orange.  It’s sweeter than other grapefruits, but can be hard to find.
  • Oro Blanco: This fruit is a cross between a white grapefruit and a pomelo.  It’s sweet, but hard to find.

How Do I Pick Out a Grapefruit?

Choose grapefruit that has firm flesh and is heavy for its size.  (Not sure how heavy it should be?  Pick up a few and choose the heavier ones!)

Avoid grapefruit that is soft, squishy, or wrinkly.  In general, you can’t tell if a grapefruit is ripe by the color of the skin.

How Do I Cut a Grapefruit?

To cut open a grapefruit, slice it in half with a chef’s knife.

Next, use a grapefruit knife or paring knife to cut along the inside edge of the skin, all the way around the fruit, detaching the grapefruit’s skin.  Use the knife to cut the grapefruit’s flesh into segments.

Then, you can proceed to eat the grapefruit with a grapefruit spoon or a regular teaspoon– OR you can make a Grapefruit Breakfast Brûlée!

Quick Tip: Some people (who are more coordinated than I am) use a grapefruit spoon to cut their grapefruit into sections, and skip the knife altogether.

Do I Need a Special Knife or Spoon?

No, but they definitely make the job easier!  If you’ll be eating grapefruit on a regular basis, I highly recommend using them.  It’ll make your grapefruit experience easier, faster, and (in my opinion) much more pleasant.

Do I Need a Kitchen Torch?

No, but if you have one, this is a good time to use it!  To make this Grapefruit Breakfast Brûlée, you’re simply sprinkling sugar over a halved grapefruit, and then burning the sugar.

If you use a torch, the inside of the grapefruit will still be room temperature.  If you use an oven broiler, the grapefruit will be warm inside.  Either way, it will be DEEEEELISH!

Sprinkling sugar onto a halved grapefruit

 

Want more CITRUS recipe ideas?  Try these:

  • Pan-Seared Swordfish with Citrus
  • Oven-Roasted Asparagus with Charred Lemon
  • Fish Ceviche with Grapefruit + Flounder

Want more BREAKFAST recipe ideas?  Try these:

  • Slow Cooker Oatmeal with Winter Fruit
  •  Breakfast Crème Brûlée
  • The Best Oatmeal Recipe: Roasted Grape Oatmeal
grapefruit breakfast on a countertop
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Grapefruit Breakfast Brûlée

This easy Grapefruit Breakfast Brûlée is a delicious, lightly sweetened citrus treat that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dessert! (No blow torch? No problem!) 
Author: Champagne Tastes
Prep Time1 min
Cook Time4 mins
Total Time5 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 74kcal
Freezer Friendly?

No

Will It Keep?

No

Ingredients

  • 1 grapefruit
  • 1 TB sugar (white, brown, or raw)
  • 1/8 tsp salt (optional)

Instructions

  • Halve grapefruit.  Remove any obvious seeds.  
  • Use a paring knife or grapefruit knife to cut along the skin and detach the fruit from the skin.  Use the knife to cut the grapefruit flesh into sections.
  • Divide the sugar and salt between the two grapefruit halves.  
  • Kitchen Torch: Use the torch to burn the sugar.  Serve immediately.
    Broiler: Place grapefruit on a baking sheet.  Move an oven rack to the top of your oven, and slide the baking sheet into the oven.  Broil grapefruit for 4-5 minutes, until the sugar is melted and crunchy. Serve immediately.

Notes

Recipe Variations:
  • Try this with other tart fruit like pineapple
  • Add fruit to a bowl of oatmeal, and then top with sugar and torch or broil the sugar.  (If using a broiler, make sure you've used an oven-safe bowl.)

Nutrition

Calories: 74kcal (4%) | Carbohydrates: 19g (6%) | Sodium: 145mg (6%) | Potassium: 166mg (5%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 14g (16%) | Vitamin A: 1415IU (28%) | Vitamin C: 38.4mg (47%) | Calcium: 27mg (3%) | Iron: 0.1mg (1%)
Tried this recipe?Mention @champagne.tastes on Instagram, or leave a comment + rating!

Filed Under: Breakfast, Winter Tagged With: dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

All commentsI made this
  1. AvatarDominique | Perchance to Cook

    February 22, 2018 at 9:25 am

    I am now convinced that I need to get a torch! (But I love that I can make this without it!) Grapefruit has one of the best flavors and I can’t even imagine it with a bit of sugar and then heated up with a torch. Such a great idea!

    Reply
  2. AvatarVeena Azmanov

    February 23, 2018 at 5:20 pm

    Such a wonderful idea. Love when fruits are caramelized and bursting with juices. This looks so wonderful and pretty too.

    Reply
  3. AvatarAnalida @ ethnicspoon.com

    February 23, 2018 at 6:40 pm

    This is my kind of breakfast and I have a kitchen torch too! I am trying this as soon as I get some grapefruit! Thanks!

    Reply
    • champagne-tasteschampagne-tastes

      February 23, 2018 at 6:41 pm

      Yay!! Let me know how you like it ????

      Reply
  4. AvatarAmy Nash

    February 24, 2018 at 12:23 am

    We love grapefruit so much at our house. We eat it all the time and my girls always love it with sugar although I usually eat mine plain. But I really want to try putting them under the broiler now!

    Reply
  5. AvatarMarisa Franca @ All Our Way

    February 24, 2018 at 4:15 pm

    I didn’t used to like grapefruit, but now I love it. Delicious and we’ve made it many times this way.

    Reply
  6. AvatarKathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago

    February 25, 2018 at 9:24 am

    Makes me wish I had not gotten rid of my kitchen torch tho I’m sure the broiler will work just fine. Looks like a great breakfast option!

    Reply
  7. AvatarKaryl | Karyl's Kulinary Krusade

    February 25, 2018 at 9:27 am

    I’ve never tried broiling fruit before, but it sounds so delicious! Especially with the sugar on top. Grapefruit is always so tart to me, but I’d be all on board with trying this version

    Reply
  8. AvatarHeather

    February 25, 2018 at 3:25 pm

    OMG .. I love this! I live in Florida and have never thought of trying grapefruit this way. Torching the grapefruit would seriously add a new dimension of flavor. I can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
  9. AvatarAmanda

    February 25, 2018 at 9:21 pm

    I don’t think I’ve ever had Oro Blanco! Now I need to track some down immediately. 🙂 Brulee’d grapefruit sounds absolutely luscious and I can’t wait to make this for breakfast. I do have a kitchen torch, so I’ll try using it for this, but I love the sound of the warm grapefruit under the broiler, too!

    Reply
  10. AvatarSven from Switzerland

    March 13, 2018 at 1:14 pm

    Thanks to Champagne Tastes I discovered these amazing caramelized Grapefruits!
    I like the simple taste of Grapefruit, but with some caramelized sugar on top, this lovely citrus fruit turns into a next level dish. So simple and so tasty!
    Perfect for breakfast! I’m sure, once you ate Grapefruit like this, you will never want to eat it differently!

    Reply
    • champagne-tasteschampagne-tastes

      March 21, 2018 at 9:32 am

      I’m so glad you liked it Sven!! It’s one of my favorite winter breakfasts!

      Reply

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