Behind the Scenes: Making the Grapefruit Givre at Boulud Sud, NYC

[Photographs: Laura Togut]

The grapefruit givre at Boulud Sud is a feat of dessertdom. It arrives looking like a grapefruit with a mohawk, but beneath the sesame hairdo is something less like a sorbet sundae and more like an edible treasure chest. There's refreshing sorbet, chewy loukoum (rose candy), sesame crumble, fresh fruit, light foam, thick jam, a crispy tuile, and of course the hairy top made of sweet shreds of halva, all nestled happily together. With so many textures layered together every bite is delightful and no two bites are the same.

We went behind the scenes with Executive Pastry Chef Ghaya Oliveria to see how she makes this popular dessert, and while you can try this at home, it is no small endeavor. Nearly every component—from the sorbet to the rose candy—is made from scratch.

Click through the slide show above to see how it's done!