Cat Cora’s Grapefruit and Cherry Ambrosia with Honey Cream

Serves 6 to 8

When I was growing up, I saw ambrosia brought to family reunions, picnics, graduation parties, and pot lucks, most often with too-hard gelatin and a bucket o' faux whipped cream. I used to think ambrosia was one of my mom's Bohemian kicks, like stained glass or macramé until I realized that it's a Southern thing and most people from Mississippi have their own Ambrosia memories. This version saves what was good about the original but leaves out the canned fruit in favor of fresh, juicy grapefruit segments and sweet, dark cherries.


Grapefruit is one of those funny foods. When you're six or seven, and your mom puts a grapefruit half in front of you, you think, "What?!" But a few decades later, I find that I always have grapefruit in my house – we eat a ton of them – just as my mother and grandmother did. I'm a little sad that my grandmother isn't here to see this dessert because she would get a kick out of it.


I like to buy honey at farmer's markets, and I'm always amazed at how the flavors can vary from jar to jar — even with two honeys from the same region. This is a good recipe for trying different artisanal honeys. You can go with a light honey, such as clover honey or dark, more brooding honey, like the full-bodied, very flavorful buckwheat honey. I think the most important thing is to taste and try new honeys that you haven't tried before.

Fruit:
1 C Grapefruit Sections Segments (membranes removed)
3 1/2 C Pineapple (1 medium pineapple), Peeled, Cored and Cut Into Medium Dice
1 C Pitted Fresh Bing Cherries or Frozen and Thawed
1 T Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 C Shredded, Sweetened Coconut
1/4 C Coarsely Chopped, Toasted Walnuts


Honey Cream:
1 C Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 C Honey
1 t Vanilla Extract

To Prepare The Fruit:
In a medium bowl, mix the grapefruit segments, pineapple, and cherries with the lemon juice, cover, and chill for 1 hour.

To Toast The Coconut:
Spread the coconut out on a sheet tray and toast it in the oven until it begins to turn golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Keep an eye on it, and whisk the tray out of the oven before the coconut becomes too dark.

To Make The Honey Cream:
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, whip together the cream, honey, and vanilla until the mixture forms soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes.

To Serve:
With a slotted spoon, place an equal amount of fruit in individual dessert glasses or bowls, leaving behind most of the fruit juice. Top with honey cream, toasted coconut and walnuts to serve.