Basic Recipe: Fruit Curds (2024)

Basic Recipe: FruitCurds

5th October 2009 by hopeeternal

I wanted to make Lemon Meringue Ice Cream andthe recipe called for goodluxury shop bought or home madeLemonCurd. Shop bought?! (Even if it is luxury.)Lemon curd is so easy to make and I had the ingredients in the fridge so it was no contest. I’m surprised I don’t make it more often: it never lasts long! When I had used the half jar needed to make the Ice Cream we still had a good quantity to spread on bread or stir into yoghurt. You can make other citrus curds using the basic recipe: Orange Curdis a favourite and Lime Curdis lovely too (see below for more information on these). I’ve seen a recipe for Blackberry Curd which I would like to tryas well (actually it’s blackberry and apple): another way to use some of the blackberries in the freezer thatwe picked earlier in the summer.

There are lots of recipes for basic Lemon Curd around and the proportions and ingredients were all virtually the same.It is important thatcurds are cooked slowly without boiling otherwise the eggs will curdle (scramble!). If this starts to happen thenthe curd should be removed from the heat immediately andwhisked well, which may save the mixture. If the curdling disappears then the mixture can be returned toa gentle heat. The mixture will thicken as it cools so do not overcook. The quantities given should make about2 x 1lb jars.The shelf-life of curd is very short and they should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within 4-6 weeks maximum. The conventional way to make curd is on the stove top but I have also successfully madeit in a Slow Cooker. I have given instructions for both methods. Ihave also seen aPressure Cooker recipe and I expect that it is possible to use a Microwave,butonce you have a good and easy method why change it! Unless otherwise indicated, the recipes stove top method below come from The Penguin Book of Jams, Pickles & Chutneys by David & Rose Mabey.(The Slow cooker method is fromThe Cordon Bleu Slow Cooker manufacturers Instruction & Recipe Booklet.)

Lemon Curd
(Makes around 2 x 1lb jars)

Grated rind & juice of 4 lemons
4 eggs
100g/4ozs butter
450g/1lb granulated sugar

1. Wash the lemonswell and remove zest with a zester or a fine grater, making sure that no white pith is removed.

2. Put the lemons ina microwave, if available, and give a short burst of heat (about 20seconds) which will help the lemons to yield more juice. Squeeze the juice from the fruit.

3. Stove top method:
a. Placejuice, zest, sugar and butter in a bowl overa saucepan of boiling wateror in the top of a double boiler.
b. Simmer until the sugar is dissolved, stirring well.
c. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
d. Add the beaten eggs and continue to simmer the mixture gently, stirring regularly,until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
e. (The recipe suggests that if it doesnt seem to thicken a small amount of ground rice could be added: my curd took over half an hour so be patient!)

4. Slow cooker method:
(fromThe Cordon Bleu Slow Cooker manufacturers Instruction & Recipe Booklet)
a. Preheat the slow cooker for 20 minutes.
b. Placejuice, zest, sugar and butter in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved.
c. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
d. Add the beaten eggs and stir well.
e. Place in a 1litre/2pt pudding basin covered with aluminium foil or a lid and place in the crock pot bowl.
f. Add boiling water so it reaches half way up the sides of the pudding basin.
g. Using the higher setting (my crock pot has high & low setting) cook for 1 to 1½ hours or until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

5. Wash the jars well and sterlise. I usually do this by filling the jars with boiling water and putting the lids in a bowl of boiling water. I pour away the water just before filling each jar and immediately take the lid from the bowl and screw it on.

6. Beat the curduntil it is creamy. Pour into the prepared jars, cover and label. Store in the refrigerator and use within 4-6 weeks.

Lime Curd(not yet pictured)
Method as for lemon curd, but substitute 5 or 6 limes depending on size.

Orange Curd
Method as for lemon curd, but substituting 3 to 4 oranges depending on size.

St Clement’s Curd
‘Oranges & Lemons
say the bells of St Clement’s …’
(from the English Nursery Rhyme)
Method as for lemon curd, using 2 or 3 lemons and 1 or 2 oranges depending on size and the balance of flavour required.

Blackberry Curd
Method as for lemon curd, butreplacing the4 lemonswith 4ozs peeled, cored & diced cooking appleand12ozs blackberries stewed together and sieved, mixed withthe juice of 1 lemon. The pectin in the apples helps set the curdmore quickly so the yield is slightly higher: about an extra half jar of curd.

Banoffee Curd
(Adapted from a recipe at Vintage Hearth)

Mango Curd
Recipe loosely based ononefrom Smitten Kitchen who discovered it in Bon Appetit, June 1998

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I have also found recipes for the following curds, some of whichwill eventually appear here.
Apricot
Apricot & Cardamom
Blackcurrant – Recipe 1
Blackcurrant – Recipe 2
Clementine
Chocolate & Chilli
Coconut & Honey
Elderberry
Elderflower
Gooseberry – Recipe 1
Gooseberry – Recipe 2
Lemon & Blood Orange
Lemon & Lime
Lemon & Tangerine
Lime & Ginger
Passionfruit – version 1
Passionfruit – version 2
Pineapple – version 1
Pineapple – version 2
Pineapple – version 3
Pink Grapefruit
Quince
Raspberry
Raspberry & Gooseberry
Rasberry & Black Pepper
Rhubarb
Seville Orange Curd
Strawberry
Strawberry & Orange
Tangerine (Tangerine Curd Ice Cream)

Various:orange,lime, apple, apricot & gooseberry

Also: Mango, Ginger, Rhubarb & Ginger, Lime & Coconut, Ginger, Honey & Lemon, Orange, Honey & Ginger, Tomato, Apple (usually with lemon), Pineapple & Passionfruit