Broiled Grapefruit with Vanilla Ginger Coconut Cream + Sea Salt

Refined sugar-free salted broiled grapefruit with vegan coconut cream.


Spring isn’t too near.

But spring will come.

Eventually it has to.

And when it does.

I want to travel as much as I can.

I want to spend all of my time outdoors.

Digitally unplugged.

I want to live in my garden.

With my hands in the dirt.

I want to take picnics.

I want to go on road trips.

And blast my music.

With the wind in my hair.

And sunglasses on.

But until then I will be relying on bringing brightness into my life in citrus form. I have been living off citrus. Mandarins, clementines, oranges, lemons and limes. And, especially grapefruits. They are reliably abundant this time of year. And full of vibrance. I simply cannot get enough.

I’ve been spending most of my afternoons snacking on raw ruby reds with a touch of honey and a pinch sea salt. Yes, salt. Not sugar. And flake salt if you have it. Trust me. The salt balances out the grapefruit’s sharp and sometimes bitter notes beautifully. I first started doing this after I fell in love with the greyhound cocktail a few years ago.

Maple sweetened, broiled grapefruits are elevated to a whole new level with the pairing of this vanilla ginger coconut cream. It’s sweet and warm, and then salty and cool. There are so many layers happening here in just one bite. It’s simple enough for weeknights or afternoon snacks, but complex enough for a winter dinner party dessert.

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Broiled Grapefruit with Vanilla Ginger Coconut Cream

This is best served warm out of the oven, and melty with the coconut cream on top. I've made this with both fresh and ground ginger, and I found that ground ginger tastes best. The cream can be made ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 6 grapefruit halves

Ingredients

• 3 grapefruits
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup coconut cream {chilled}
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• sea or flake salt to garnish
• lemon zest to garnish

Instructions

• Set the oven to broil, and line a baking dish with parchment paper.
• Halve the grapefruits, and place them in the dish cut side up. Cut each grapefruit's flesh by tracing the perimeter and each segment with a knife. This will make it easier to scoop out and eat after it has been broiled. 
• Drizzle on the oil and 3 tablespoons maple syrup. Broil on high for about 10 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned. Pull it out of the oven, cool for 5 minutes and sprinkle on the flake salt.
• Prepare the coconut cream while the grapefruit is under the broiler. 
• In a small bowl whisk together the ginger, vanilla and remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup and set aside. Then whip the coconut cream in a small bowl with a hand-mixer until it's blended. This will take only a few seconds. Then fold in the ginger mixture until well-combined.
• Serve warm with a dollop of coconut cream and lemon zest.

Notes