Shortbread Sandwiches with Grapefruit Curd

Ali and I divided up the desserts this month and I picked Jasmine Shortbread Sandwiches with Grapefruit Curd.  http://www.marthastewart.com/875407/jasmine-shortbread-sandwiches-grapefruit-curd  Ok, we both actually wanted to do the Raspberry Loaf, but Ali won and I've never made a curd before, so I wasn't going to be a sore loser (just a little bit when I heard how good the loaf turned out.)

I wasn’t that excited about the idea of the jasmine tea to start and completely abandoned the idea of using it when I finally tracked it down for $8 a box.  I knew I’d never use it for anything else, it would just clutter up my cabinet, and it just seemed like just a waste for cookies that I knew my kids would like better plain.  So, I can’t judge what the cookies were supposed to taste like, but they were really good the way I made them.  Tasty shortbread morsels.  Buttery, but not overkill.  Perfect with a cup of tea and very easy and quick to make. 

Martha used the rolling then freezing the dough method for easy cookie cutting that I perfected, you may recall, during the cookie valentine project last month.  I highly recommend it.

frozen dough, ready for cutting

The grapefruit curd was also easy.  The recipe called for two ruby red grapefruits, but mine were so juicy I got the entire cup of juice needed from just one.
    

So juicy.

Here is my curd on the makeshift double boiler.

My curd looked lovely and I strained it just like Martha ordered, uh, instructed.  After chilling, I sandwiched the curd between two cookies.  Mine seemed much more runny that the pictures in the magazine.  I guarantee that mine wouldn't have stayed put for much longer than to take that photo (though I can't be sure since my husband ate it immediately.)

So, both my cookies and curd were delicious on their own, but as a combination, not so much.  Maybe the cookies did need the jasmine tea (though I doubt it).  It wasn't bad, just ok.  My husband agreed and kids, well, come on, there's no way they would eat anything called "curd." 

I ended up making a batch of whipped cream and folding the curd into it to make what I called grapefruit mousse.    


Grapefruit mousse - delicious!


Yummy.  Light and somehow refreshing, despite all the heavy cream, though I don’t want to know the calorie content.  I thought about putting it in the ice cream maker too, but before I realized it, we gobbled up so much there wasn’t enough left to churn.  This one I'd make again.

Jacqui

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I thought I'd try the lazy man's version of the recipe.  I had a jar of lemon curd saved from our trip to England last year.  I've been waiting patiently for just the right occasion of open it..

I love lemon curd as much as I love the village where I bought it - Tideswell, Derbyhsire!

I went to the local bakery and found some pecan sandies.  I thought they would be a great accompaniment to my lemon curd.  And they were.

These were for Benjamin and me.  OK, there should have been three.  Benjamin taste tested one before the photo was taken.  While I was trying to take the shot, all I kept hearing was "more cookie!" "more cookie!" "more cookie!"  It's safe to say Benjamin was a fan, a HUGE fan.

I brought these into work for a couple of friends and they were a hit!

This is a great treat for those short of time.  Give them a try and let us now what you think.


Ali