Get Boulud Sud's famed recipe: Grapefruit Givre

this bittersweet cocoon immortalizes the Grapefruit

I vividly remember the overpowering aura this Grapefruit Givre dessert exuded when I came across it over a dinner at NYC restaurant Boulud Sud.

The Givre is made by spooning grapefruit sorbet into a hollowed out, frozen grapefruit shell before tossing in fresh segments of citrus marmalade, sesame foam and rose loukoum. The lip of the grapefruit shell is sealed with a brûléed orange sugar tuile, then topped with a mohawk of halva candy floss.

While Daniel Boulud’s restaurant is temporarily closed, you can recreate the magic of their signature dessert at home.

The dish represents the flavors of North Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East —gently focused through a Southern French lens.

Following the official Grapefruit Givre recipe to a t is a mammoth undertaking and requires niche cooking equipment. Therefore, I have noted shortcuts that can be made to simplify your Givre without sacrificing its essence. Anything marked with an *asterisk can be easily skipped. TL:DR — skip the citrus tuile and sesame foam steps entirely, and consider substituting in regular whipped cream instead.

Quick demonstration of Graperuit Givre being assembled:

Recipe difficulty rating: advanced

Ingredients: