I love love lemon curd, but once I learned there were all sorts of flavors out there? Heaven. So of course I made a roundup of the best fruit curd recipes out there.
There are so many different fruits you can use to make a curd, but ideally, you want some strong flavor in the fruit to counteract the sweetness of the curd. That’s why pineapple, raspberry, and lemon work so well.
A sweet fruit curd like strawberry is delicious, but I find it works best as a cake filling (as just about ANY curd does) or as a dip for fruit. You want something where sweetness is expected.
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What is a curd?
A curd is a deliciously thick concoction that isn’t quite a pudding and has a smooth texture and plenty of acidity.
It is basically a custard with sugar, butter, eggs, and fruit juice – usually with citrus juice added or as the base.
Traditionally fruit curds were made with lemon and then with other citrus fruit, but there are so many more options out there.
Some recipes use only egg yolk while others use whole eggs. Both methods work, depending on the recipe. The trick is finding uses for your egg whites if you have an egg yolk-only recipe.
Some ideas? Make homemade marshmallow fluff or meringues.
Where do I use fruit curds?
Fruit curds are perfect for so many uses, and this is definitely not an exhaustive list of suggestions.
I love to dip fruit in curds, as well as the traditional topping for scones. They are a perfect filling for cake.
Use your favorite fruit curd as a topping for vanilla ice cream or over your breakfast granola bowl.
I often use them to mix into milkshakes with vanilla ice cream or into adult beverages like my grown up lemonade.
Fruit curds are delicious piped over homemade donuts, too. Continuing with the breakfast theme, try them over pancakes or waffles, too.
How do you make a fruit curd?
Fruit curds are surprisingly easy to make, so long as you keep the heat gentle. This is also why I always make my curd in an enameled cast iron pot rather than a cheaper stainless steel one that conducts heat less evenly.
You always start the same way: in your pot, whisk the eggs and sugar together, then add the cornstarch and fruit juice, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Heat this over medium-low heat while whisking until it thickens.
Once it thickens, add the butter slowly while you whisk at the very end so it emulsifies fully and tastes less of butter. Instead, you get the rich smooth feel on your tongue while still tasting the fruit.
Side note: always use unsalted butter when you’re baking, especially for fruit curds. Different brands have different levels of salt, and you can’t control the salt in your recipes easily when you use salted butter.
Do I need to use a double boiler?
You do not! I never use a double boiler for a few reasons, and yes, one is that I’m lazy.
If you are careful, you can avoid using a double boiler, but you need to use a quality 2-quart or 3-quart saucepan. If you use a thin pot, your curd will likely scorch.
On the note on pots: you must use a nonreactive pan like enameled cast iron or stainless steel or copper, for example. If you use aluminum or regular cast iron, they will react with the acid, and you’ll be able to taste it.
You also need to whisk fairly constantly and keep the heat at medium-low.
However, many recipes call for a double boiler, and you can certainly choose to use one. If you do, make sure you have a kitchen towel handy to quickly wipe the bottom of the top pot when you remove it to ensure no water or steam escapes into your curd.
How do I store fruit curds?
Once you finish whichever one on this list of the best fruit curds, strain the finished curd into sterilized jars, and close the lids. After they reach room temperature, ace them in the fridge.
You can store them in the fridge for up to three weeks.
You can also freeze the curds in the jars for several months. To use, let them thaw in the fridge for at least overnight and up to two days; do not heat them again.
What do I need to make fruit curd?
- Your pan is critical, as I mentioned above. Make sure it is a nonreactive pan. I prefer to use enameled cast iron for this, as it distributes heat evenly and helps avoid scorching.
- Many recipes call for the curd to reach a certain temperature, and I now prefer to use an infrared digital thermometer instead of a candy thermometer. It’s fast and accurate and doesn’t need to be cleaned!
- You also need a whisk, and a standard balloon whisk works just fine.
- Make sure you have a spatula to help scrape off the edges of your pan and get all the curd from your pot to the jars.
- And yes, you need jars! I like to use wide mouth pint jars, so I can have multiple jars but only open one at a time – depending on how much a given recipe makes.
- You also want a mesh strainer to ensure your curd is perfectly smooth, especially if the recipe calls for citrus zest.
- And I often use a funnel to transfer curd from the pot to the jar with minimal mess.
The Best Fruit Curd Recipes
If you’re lucky, you’ve probably had lemon curd at some point. But did you know how many other curds are out there just waiting for you to try them? There’s bound to be one perfect for what you need right now.
Save this list of the best fruit curd recipes to enjoy them regularly!
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