A Fruit Curd for Every Season

Thanks to the Great British Bake Off (Baking Show), I’ve tried lots of new things in the kitchen. One of these is fruit curd. After going through many varieties of fruit, my family has settled on these recipes as our favorites. Any kind of fruit curd is excellent on waffles, cake, or even toast. I’d describe curd as a cross between a jelly and a pudding.

The Method

Though many recipes use a double boiler, I’ve figured out how to make it work without one. The method is the same for each recipe. Note: I always use salted butter and don’t add any additional salt to the recipe.

1. Start with a cold pan and add the ingredients in the order listed.
2. Then, turn the burner to medium and whisk constantly until the curd thickens.
3. Strain the curd to make sure it’s extra smooth. (This step is always listed, even in recipes using a double boiler. It removes most of the zest and/or pureed fruit chunks and seeds, which I think have a weird texture if you leave them in.)
4. Whisk in the butter 1 T. at a time.
5. Cover the curd with plastic wrap, pressing it to the surface so it doesn’t form a skin.
6. When the curd reaches room temperature, store it in the fridge. Use within 1 week.

The Recipes

Spring: Strawberry Curd

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. cornstarch

1 T. lemon juice

8 oz. strawberries, pureed

2 egg yolks

4 T. butter

Summer: Lime Curd

3/4 c. sugar

1 T. lime zest (from about 2 limes)

1/2 c. fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)

4 egg yolks

4 T. butter

Summer: Peach Curd

1 c. sugar

1 T. lemon juice

medium peach, pureed

2 egg yolks

4 T. butter

Fall: Cranberry Curd

6 oz. fresh cranberries

1/2 c. water

Cook the cranberries in the water until they pop open. Once cooled, add with all the other ingredients (except butter) to a blender and puree. Proceed with the basic directions above, starting with Step 2.

3/4 c. sugar

4 egg yolks

4 T. butter

Winter: Lemon Curd

2/3 c. sugar

1 T. lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)

1/3 c. fresh lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)

4 egg yolks

4 T. butter

What to Do With Fruit Curd

Our favorite use for any fruit curd is on cake! Make a white cake, top with curd, and then add a layer of whipped cream. I usually make 1 1/2 batches of stabilized whipped cream so it will hold its shape for a few days. Though I usually make sheet cakes, curd is thick enough to put between layers as well. It won’t be as thick as a layer of frosting because the flavor is much stronger and not as sweet.