Brûléed Grapefruit

During the first trimester of my pregnancy all I wanted to eat was sweets and carbs. Now that I've entered the blissful second trimester I'm suddenly craving fresh fruit and salads, which is a nice change of pace. Lately, I've been really into grapefruit and one of my favorite ways to have it is brûléed with a drizzle of crème fraîche on top. I first had grapefruit like this for brunch at Winslow's Home here in St. Louis. Their version is delicious, but it is easy to recreate at home.

Brûléed Grapefruit with Maple Crème Fraîche

1 large grapefruit
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
2 teaspoons maple syrup

Cut the grapefruit in half crosswise and remove any visible seeds. Use a knife to separate the skin from the flesh and to cut around each segment. Place halves flesh side down on a paper towel to dry the surface for 5 minutes.

Invert the grapefruit halves onto a plate and sprinkle the cut sides evenly with the sugar.

Use a kitchen blowtorch to melt the sugar and form a golden brown crust over the grapefruit. Alternatively, place under broiler for 5-7 minutes or until the sugar has melted.

Using a whisk, mix crème fraîche and maple syrup together and drizzle over the grapefruit (optional).

I used store-bought (Trader Joes) pasteurized crème fraîche but if you prefer to make your own you can find instructions here.