The intense tangy flavour of juicy blood oranges makes them ideal for making orange curd. Delicious on toast, scones, plain cakes and crumpets.
Blood orange curd is like a ray of sunshine in the darker winter months and somehow reminds us that spring is not far off.
I am a huge fan of marmalade but last year I got a little carried away and I am still eating my way through the many jars I made. I even made marmalade from blood oranges last year.
So when deciding what to make with my latest bag of blood oranges, (I can't resist buying them whenever I see them) I thought about another preserve that is often served at breakfast, lemon curd and decided that orange curd made with blood oranges would be a delicious alternative; so decision made.
Now if I was the least bit logical I would have shared a lemon curd recipe with you before this one, it is after all more familar but hey why be logical? I love just going with the ingredients I have to hand.
I have made lemon curd many times before sometimes with whole eggs sometimes with just yolks and other times a mixture of the two. Each has its own merits.
Generally, I make it with a double boiler type set up but it can be a bit slow this way. So for this version, I have based it on the recipe by Delia Smith, which uses whole eggs and it is cooked directly in the pan.
You may not get such a silky smooth texture but it is certainly easier and the slight graininess by no means affects the delicious flavour of the curd. It's a small sacrifice for the ease in preparation.
Hints and Tips
- I cannot stress how important it is to cook the curd over a low heat and make sure if you are cooking with gas that the flame does not come up the side of the pan.
- You can reduce the butter by up to ⅓ for a slightly less rich curd.
- I like flecks of zest in my curd and it adds more flavour. For best results use a fine grater to remove the zest. I recommend a microplane zester.
- I used golden caster sugar to make mine (because generally, I prefer to use unrefined sugar in my cooking and that is what I had to hand) but you will get a brighter colour if you use white caster.
- How to sterilise jars.
Blood Orange Curd Step By Step
Grate the zest from the oranges and squeeze the juice. Whisk the orange zest and eggs together until the eggs are well broken up. Next whisk in the sugar. Add the orange and lemon juice to the pan, then add the butter cut into small cubes. Place the pan over a low heat and cook gently until the butter has melted and the curd thickens about 8-10 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and seal
How Do you like to serve your fruit curd? Let me know in the comments. I like to use it as a cake filling and in bakes. It is also delicious stirred into a bowl of natural yoghurt.
Blood Orange Curd
Ingredients
- 4 blood oranges
- 4 large eggs
- 350 g (12oz) caster sugar
- 225 g (8oz) butter cut into small cubes
- 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoons cornflour US = cornstarch
Instructions
- Grate the zest from 4 oranges and place in a heavy-based saucepan. Squeeze the juice and set aside.
- Add 4 large eggs to the pan and whisk until the eggs are well broken up and mixed with the peel. Whisk in 350g (12oz) sugar and orange juice.
- Add 225g (8oz) butter to the pan. Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon, add 1 tablespoon cornflour and mix to a smooth paste then whisk into the pan.
- Place the pan over a low heat and cook gently whisking continuously until the butter melts and the mixture thickens. About 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and pour into warm sterilised jars. Cover with a waxed disc and seal while hot.
Video
Notes
- I cannot stress how important it is to cook the curd over a low heat and make sure if you are cooking with gas that the flame does not come up the side of the pan.
- You can reduce the butter by up to ⅓ for a slightly less rich curd.
- I like flecks of zest in my curd and it adds more flavour. For best results use a fine grater to remove the zest. I recommend a microplane zester.
- I used golden caster sugar to make mine (because generally, I prefer to use unrefined sugar in my cooking and that is what I had to hand) but you will get a brighter colour if you use white caster.
- How to sterilise jars.
- Once cold store in the refrigerator. The curd will keep for several weeks.
Devienne M Weekes says
Can this be canned?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
The curd will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator but I have not tried canning to extend its life
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
I do love a citrus curd, and I'd love to try your blood orange version.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
It was a shame my blood oranges were not a little redder but I think the extra tang from blood oranges rally works well.
Monika Dabrowski says
Such a tasty idea, I adore lemon curd and I am sure this recipe is just as delicious:)
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I adore lemon curd to,o that's why I couldn't resist trying something similar and blood oranges seemed like a good alternative.