Cranberry Curd

Cranberry season is upon us! And this Cranberry Curd will go amazingly with all the seasons baking, this makes a great gift this time of year as well.

 

Don’t be shy when it comes to making new recipes… this cranberry curd tastes like pudding, and is the perfect topping for cake, cookies, and other baked goods like these Cranberry Banana Muffins!

This is one of my favorite toppers for toast in the morning with coffee. And it’s to die for on these Small Batch Buttermilk Scones and with these Pumpkin Muffins.

I have used it as a side at Thanksgiving or Christmas, in place of traditional canned cranberry sauce. It’s a favorite and a crowd-pleaser. 

But let’s talk curd.

Fruit curds have been a beloved addition to cuisine since the late 19th- and early 20th-century. It has its history in England and was traditionally served with bread or scones at afternoon tea as an alternative to jam. It can be used as a filling for cakes, small pastries, and tarts as well! For this reason, there are many options, with berries such as strawberries, blueberries, and oh… lemons for lemon curd is amazing, give this cherry lime curd a try as well.

 

 

 

Central to this recipe is egg yolks which have been tempered – in essence, bring the temperature of the egg up slowly, usually by adding small amounts of hot liquid. I will walk you through this step. It’s super simple and not as hard as it sounds!

 

Okay, let’s get this curd made so you can have some with your baked goods for breakfast!

In a small to a medium saucepan, heat the cranberries with sugar and lemon juice until the cranberries come to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until they are soft – about 4-5 minutes.

Strain the mixture with a fine strainer which has been placed above a bowl to catch the juices, scrape the bottom of the strainer to separate the fruit from the pulp.

Throw away the thick pulp and skin that is pressed into the strainer.

Place the strained cranberry back into the saucepan.

In a small bowl place, egg yolks and lightly beat them.  Add a tablespoon of strained cranberries into the egg yolks, and whisk, to warm the eggs so they don’t cook too fast, or curdle. Do this until 3 tablespoons are added, whisking all the while.

Congratulations you’ve just tempered eggs!

Now, add the egg mixture into the saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat until it’s simmering.

Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the butter, until it’s melted and smooth.

You’re done!

Place the curd into a jar and enjoy warm or chilled. It’s so good and so simple to make, you’ll wonder why you have attempted it before.

Do you have tips for adding in the egg yolks so they don’t curdle?

What I’ve suggested is my favorite way of tempering the eggs. It’s never let me down, but there’s more than one way to do it. The goal here is to be sure you get the best outcome.

Can I omit the eggs?

No, and this is one of those recipes I wouldn’t use a replacer for either. 

What about other sugar options?

You could definitely play around with it! I’ve been experimenting with monk fruit with great results, you can substitute it 1:1 for the sugar that is called for in the recipe.