Best Citrus Curd Recipes

CRANBERRY-CURD-AND-CITRUS PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Trace a 9-inch circle on a piece of parchment. Transfer, traced-side down, to a baking sheet.
• Pavlova: Stir together sugar and cornstarch. In the bowl of a mixer, beat egg whites with lemon juice and salt on low speed until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high and gradually add sugar mixture, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, 10 to 12 minutes. Adhere corners of parchment to sheet with tiny dollops of meringue, then mound rest of meringue in center of circle on parchment. Using a large spoon, spread to edges of circle, leaving a well approximately 5 inches wide and 1 inch deep in center.
• Bake until crisp and dry on outside but not developing any color, 1 hour, 10 minutes to 1 hour, 20 minutes. Turn oven off (do not open door); let cool in oven until dry and crisp on outside, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Curd: Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries burst and collapse, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter until melted. Strain mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids to remove as much liquid as possible; discard solids. In another bowl, whisk together egg and yolks. Slowly whisk 1 cup of cranberry mixture into egg mixture; return to pot with remaining cranberry mixture and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and beginning to sputter, about 6 minutes. Let cool completely, then press plastic wrap directly on surface and refrigerate in an airtight container until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.
• Serving: Whisk cream, vanilla, and orange-blossom water to soft peaks. Fill well of meringue with curd. Dollop cream over curd; top with citrus supremes and gooseberries. Serve immediately.

MIXED CITRUS CURD

Steps:

• Place sugar, butter, eggs, juices, zests, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until curd starts to bubble and thicken, and can coat the back of a wooden spoon, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
• Refrigerate curd until set, 2 to 3 hours.

DOUGHNUTS WITH GRAPEFRUIT CURD AND CITRUS SUGAR

Steps:

• Grapefruit Curd:
• Bring grapefruit juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, 12-14 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Whisk egg yolks, eggs, sugar, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl to combine. Whisk in grapefruit zest, lemon zest, lemon juice, and reduced grapefruit juice. Set bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water. Cook, whisking almost constantly, until curd is thickened, 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, adding a few pieces at a time.
• Transfer to a nonreactive bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd. Chill until set up and very cold, at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Citrus Sugar:
• Combine sugar and zest in a small bowl. Let sit uncovered 12 hours to dry out. (You can also microwave on high in 15-second intervals, stirring and letting cool slightly between intervals, until dehydrated.)
• Transfer to a blender and blend until powdery. (Or, work zest into sugar with your fingers; just make sure to break up any clumps.)
• Doughnuts:
• Heat milk in a small saucepan or microwave until just warm (you want it to be between 105°F and 110°F). Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and scrape in vanilla seeds; reserve pod for another use. Add 1 Tbsp. sugar and sprinkle yeast over. Let sit until yeast starts to foam, about 5 minutes.
• Add egg, egg yolk, honey, lemon zest, salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar. Mix gently with a wooden spoon until barely combined. Add 2 3/4 cups flour and knead with a dough hook on medium-high speed until dough comes together into a mass that no longer sticks to the sides of bowl and is beginning to climb up the hook, about 5 minutes. (Dough should spring back immediately when pressed.) Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter a couple of pieces at a time, working in completely after each addition.
• Turn out dough onto a work surface and knead with your hands until smooth and springy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a very lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out 1/2" thick. Cut out doughnuts with cutter, twisting cutter to release them. Reroll any scraps. Transfer to a very lightly floured parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel; let sit in a warm spot until slightly puffed and dough springs back lightly when pressed, 40-45 minutes.
• Fit a wide heavy pot with thermometer; pour in oil to come at least 2" up sides. Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 325°F. Fry 3 or 4 doughnuts at a time, turning halfway through, until deep golden brown, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; let cool.
• Using a paring knife, poke a hole in the top of each doughnut, being careful not to push through to the opposite side. Transfer grapefruit curd to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag (snip off one corner) fitted with a 1/4" round tip. Fill doughnuts with grapefruit curd, then coat generously with citrus sugar.
• Do Ahead
• Citrus sugar can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

LEMON CURD TART WITH PECAN-CITRUS SAUCE

Steps:

• CRUST 1.In a large bowl, beat 6 tablespoons of the softened butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, lemon zest and the vanilla and beat until combined. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the pecans, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and beat just until combined. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 20 min. 2. Preheat the oven to 350°. On lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into 4 pieces and transfer to 2 baking sheets. Bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for 15 min, or until crisp; shift the pans from top to bottom and front to back for even baking. Let cool on a wire rack. 3. Transfer the pastry to a plastic bag and crush gently using a rolling pin. Add the remaining 6 tbls of softened butter and crumbs combine until moistened. Press the crumbs into a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, forming an even layer all around; pack the crumbs tightly. Chill. FILLING In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1 cup of sugar, the lemon juice and zest. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Set the bowl over the boiling water, reduce the heat to moderate and cook, whisking the lemon mixture constantly, until thickened, 12 min. Remove from heat and whisk in the cubed butter. Fill the crust with the warm lemon curd and refrigerate until the curd is firm enough to cut, 3 hours. SAUCE Peel the grapefruit, lemon and lime, removing the bitter white pith. Cut between membranes to release the citrus sections. In a medium skillet, melt the remaining stick of butter. Add the pecans and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, 6 min. Remove from heat and add the Grand Marnier. Ignite the liquid when the flames subside, add the sugar and water mixture and boil until thickened, about 1 minute. Add the cream and salt and boil for 1 min. Stir in fruit before serving.

MEYER LEMON SHORTCAKES WITH MEYER CURD AND MIXED CITRUS

Steps:

• For Meyer lemon curd:
• Whisk eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and coarse salt in medium metal bowl to blend well. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 170°F to 172°F, 5 to 6 minutes (do not allow to boil). Remove bowl from over water. Whisk butter into curd, 2 to 3 cubes at a time, allowing butter to melt before adding more and whisking until curd is smooth. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd and refrigerate overnight.
• For biscuits:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and coarse salt in medium bowl to blend well. Stir in lemon peel. Add butter cubes and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 cup cream and stir just until dough begins to clump together. Gather dough together. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and press out to 7-inch round (about 1 inch thick). Using 2 1/4-inch-diameter cookie cutter dipped into flour, cut out rounds. Reshape dough scraps and cut out additional dough rounds for total of 8.
• Transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Brush top of biscuits with remaining 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream; sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until biscuits are golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer biscuits to rack and cool completely.
• For topping:
• Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until peaks form.
• Cut biscuits horizontally in half. Place bottom half of each biscuit on plate. Top each with 1 heaping tablespoon lemon curd, then generous spoonful of Mixed Citrus "Marmalade" . Top with whipped cream topping. Cover each with top half of biscuit. Dust shortcakes with powdered sugar.
• *Also called turbinado or demerara sugar; available at most supermarkets and at natural food stores.

LEMON CURD TART WITH PECAN-CITRUS SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1 cup of the sugar, the lemon juice and lemon zest. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Set the bowl over the boiling water, reduce the heat to moderate and cook, whisking the lemon mixture constantly, until thickened, about 12 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the cubed butter. Fill the crust with the warm lemon curd and refrigerate until the curd is firm enough to cut, about 3 hours.
• Using a sharp knife, peel the grapefruit, lemon and lime, removing the bitter white pith. Cut in between the membranes to release the citrus sections. In a medium skillet, melt the remaining stick of butter. Add the pecans and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 6 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the Grand Marnier. Return the skillet to the heat and carefully ignite the liquid with a long match. When the flames subside, add the sugar and water mixture and boil until thickened, about 1 minute. Add the cream and salt and boil for 1 minute.
• Just before serving, stir the fruit sections into the sauce. Cut the tart into wedges and serve with the sauce.
• Make Ahead
• The tart can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

CITRUS CURD

Steps:

• 1. Zest all citrus and set aside.
• 2. In a large 8 cup microwave safe bowl, melt butter.
• 3. In a seperate bowl add eggs and yolks and beat well. Add sugar and zest and mix.
• 4. Pour egg mixture into the melted butter. Stir well.
• 5. Cook uncovered in microwave 6-7 min. stirring every minute until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
• 6. TIP:Use as a cupcake filling or a cake filling. Top your ice cream or eat it the traditional way over a slightly toasted crumpet or english muffin with a little pat of butter then pour curd over the top. May be eaten warm or cold.

CITRUS CURD

Steps:

• Set up an ice bath in a large bowl.
• Whisk the sugar and egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the juices and water and set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Cook, stirring often with a heatproof rubber scraper, until the curd reaches 180°F.
• Mix the curd with an immersion blender and strain into a bowl. Set into the ice bath to chill completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to serve it.