With April just around the corner, it's the perfect time of year for spring-inspired sweets! The cherry blossoms are just starting to bloom here, and I find myself wanting desserts in the same pretty pink hue. So, these grapefruit tartlets do just that. Plus they're light, airy, and simple to make.

The night before I want to make the tarts, I make a quick batch of grapefruit jelly and a small batch of sweet dough. This one looks good, but just make the recipe in tartlet shells instead of a large tart shell. That said, if you don't want to be fiddling around with making pastry you can purchase pre-made tartlet shells in your grocer's freezer section.

Grapefruit & Vanilla Bean Jelly
500 ml fresh grapefruit juice, strained
100 grams sugar
10 ml fresh lemon juice, strained
1/2 a vanilla bean, scraped
10 grams leaf gelatin {available here}

Soak the gelatin leaves in cold water until pliable. In a small saucepan, heat both juices, sugar, and vanilla bean until sugar is just about dissolved but the juice is not boiling. Remove from heat. Squeeze the water from the gelatin leaves and drop into the warm juice and stir. Remove vanilla pod and pour gelatin and juice mixture into a square 8"x8" pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.To remove the jelly from the pan, slide a sharp knife along the edges and flip it onto a piece of parchment paper {you may have to help it a little with a spatula or by placing a warm cloth on the bottom side of the pan until it releases}. You can refrigerate leftovers for up to three days in a covered container.

 

To assemble the tarts, cut the jelly into small cubes and spoon directly in baked and cooled shells. Garnish with chantilly cream and serve right away! Plus, the grapefruit and vanilla jelly is great all on its own too. I couldn't stop snacking on it!

—Nikole 

*For a fun alternative, omit both the grapefruit jelly and the chatilly cream and try filling your tart shells with rhubarb or grapefruit curd and finishing them with toasted Italian meringue.