Sweet and tangy Raspberry Curd, ready to add to your favorite cookie or pie crust.
My husband and I have an agreement: I do most of the daily cooking in our home, and he does most of the car-fixing, lawnmowing, weed pulling, and plumbing. It’s a pretty good deal from where I’m standing, because I love cooking. Occasionally, however, my husband will burst out of his office with some epic cooking mission. One Christmas, he decided he was going to make a curd tart. Neither of us had even eaten curd before. (We had just been binge-watching the Great British Baking Show, where curd is routinely featured. I blame Prue.)
And make a curd tart, he did—several times. The first time, he didn’t nail it, so he tried again and again until he was happy with it, all the way up to Christmas Day. So many egg yolks, so much fruit, so much butter. But of all the desserts that come out of my kitchen, one of my favorites is now my husband’s raspberry curd tart. The tart’s silky raspberry curd (featured here) is sweet and cut with just the right level of acidity to make you want a whole bowl of it. Once set, it’s perfect for filling cookies, scooping onto yogurt or ice cream, or filling up a big tart shell (or lots of tiny ones!).
Is This Raspberry Curd Healthy?
Though the eggs add protein and the raspberries add vitamin C and fiber, these positives can’t overshadow the amount of fat and calories in the butter—not to mention the sugar content in this recipe. Raspberry curd is a decadent dessert topping meant to be enjoyed in moderation.
You could potentially make this healthier by using a sugar substitute in place of the granulated sugar in this recipe, and it’s possible you’d have good results using a dairy-free butter to make it suitable for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant.
Curd Vs. Custard
If you’re not familiar with curd, you might be thinking, “Isn’t this just a raspberry custard?” You’d be wrong, but not far off the mark. Custard is made with very similar ingredients—egg, sugar, butter—but it also requires adding a decent amount of milk. There’s no milk in curd and no dairy other than the butter. Since it’s typically made with a sour fruit (or a sweeter fruit with the addition of lemon juice), curd usually has quite a lot of tang. A little curd goes a long way!
How Do I Store Leftovers?
The curd will form a skin on the surface rather quickly, so be sure to move the curd to a sealable container and press plastic wrap onto the surface of the curd as soon as possible. After applying the plastic wrap, store the curd, covered, for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator to use.
Serving Suggestions
This raspberry curd can top any number of tasty treats and baked goods. A tiny drizzle of raspberry curd on these Tropical Paleo Lemon Bars would be heavenly! And don’t forget to pull out the curd for breakfast. Try it on these Pancakes for Two.
I never met a shortbread cookie that I didn’t like. A little smear of this curd to hold two Shortbread Cookies together is one of my favorite things in this world. And if you want to summon heaven on earth, combine this raspberry curd with a bit of chocolate. For example, these Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins are just screaming to be dipped in a bit of raspberry curd.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 12 ounces fresh raspberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest optional
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cubed
Instructions
- In a saucepan, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until smooth.
- Add raspberries, lemon juice, and zest to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the raspberries break down, about 5 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds, then return the strained mixture to the saucepan.
- Cook the strained mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the cubed butter until fully incorporated and the curd is smooth.
- Transfer the curd to a jar or bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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