Categories Desserts and Sweets, Sauces and Condiments
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Creamy orange curd is easy to make at home! This easy to follow orange curd recipe works with any orange (even blood oranges), and makes a delicious treat. Use orange curd as a filling for cakes, spread for scones, in a tart, or topping for fresh fruit.
I heard a radio DJ yesterday listing off four or five words that women hate to hear in conversation. I agreed with a few, because they’re just awkward words to used outside of very specific situations, but curd was on the list and I’m not sure why. Do people use the word curd outside of describing foods like cheese curd, lemon curd, lime curd, and the topic of today’s post – orange curd?
How would you even do that? There was no mention of curdle the verb, just curd, the noun. I just don’t understand how this could make the list. How often do you use “curd” in conversation? I’ve spent way too much time wondering about this.
I promise you’ll really like the word curd when it refers to my orange curd recipe though. Orange curd is delicious! It’s so creamy, with just the perfect hint of orange and vanilla. It’s reminiscent of an orange creamsicle, only more grown up. You could use it as an alternative filling in my Key Lime Tart , serve it with scones for tea, or use it as filling for my Orange Cake from Scratch!
Orange curd doesn’t have quite the same citrus “bite” as lemon or lime curd, so this is a really good option if you don’t really like the citrus pucker but you’d still like something fruity and fresh. Use whatever oranges you have on hand.
I’ve used navel oranges, Cara Cara oranges, whatever variety I happen to have on hand. You may use blood oranges as well to make blood orange curd. This orange curd recipe works for any of the usual orange varieties.
I will note that you don’t really get an orange color out of orange curd. It’s very pale. The same goes for blood orange curd unless your oranges are particularly pigmented. If you really want more of an “orange” color, feel free to drop a drop or two of gel food coloring in there. If you don’t, you’ll get the color shown in the photos.
It takes just a few minutes to make orange curd on the stove top, and you can keep it a week or so in the fridge. Freeze up to 3 months. I hope you enjoy this easy orange curd recipe, darlings!
This easy to follow orange curd recipe works with any orange (even blood oranges), and makes a delicious treat. Use orange curd as a filling for cakes, spread for scones, in a tart, or topping for fresh fruit.
Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon orange zest (yield from 1 orange)
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
8 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoons
Instructions
In the top portion of a double boiler, or a large heat-proof mixing bowl, whisk together your sugar, eggs, egg yolk, zest, orange juice, and lemon juice.
Set your bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, or place the top section of your double boiler into the bottom, set over medium low heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles the consistency of homemade mayonnaise or aioli. If you are using a thermometer, you will cook to 170 F.
Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the butter.
Strain the curd through a fine mesh strainer into another bowl or storage container. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes at room temperature, then press a piece of plastic wrap across the top and refrigerate at least one hour to firm up a bit.
Store in the refrigerator up to one week, or frozen up to 3 months. Enjoy!
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If the filling is runny and flowing out of the tart when you cut into it, then it is likely that the curd was not cooked for quite long enough. You need to be patient when cooking citrus curds as if you heat the mixture too quickly then it can curdle and become lumpy. You need to keep a low heat and stir constatntly.
How do you thicken orange curd? If you find it too thin after chilling it, place the orange curd back in a saucepan. In a separate bowl, whisk together a tablespoon of cornstarch and a tablespoon of water then add half of the mixture to the curd. Cook on low heat until it thickens.
Orange curd is a thick, creamy-looking spread which contains eggs and butter, and it's got a similar texture to custard. Marmalade, on the other hand, is a preserve made with sugar, water and lemons, and its end result is similar to a jelly or a jam.
Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and lemons are high in acidity. Combined with curd, which is also acidic, it can lead to an imbalance in pH levels in the stomach. This may result in indigestion, heartburn, or an upset stomach.
Remember that curd will thicken more once cooled. If your cooled curd is not thick enough, you can reheat it to thicken. Put it over a low heat, stirring constantly. Ensure it coats the back of a spoon before taking it off the heat.
If the milk does not set well, try again with fresh milk in different ways by increasing the culture, keeping it in a warmer place, adding your culture to warmer milk. Making good curd at home comes by experimenting & experience.
For a smooth curd, be sure to strain both the juice and the whisked eggs. Why is my curd grainy? Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before you add the eggs. Graininess can also be little pieces of cooked egg from overheating the mixture.
Rich, full cream milk is considered best for making curd because of its high fat content. It results in a thicker, creamier texture often preferred by many people. Additionally, the fat in full cream milk can help create more flavour with a smooth, velvety texture.
Orange curd is a thick and creamy mixture of fresh orange juice, eggs, sugar, and butter. The amount of sugar in citrus curd recipes varies depending on the sweetness of the fruit—lemon and lime curds require more sugar because they are tart and sour.
While curd resembles pudding or custard, the difference lies in the way it's thickened. Custards and puddings rely on cornstarch, milk and cream, while eggs are the primary thickener for curd, making it lighter and brighter.
If a curd is too thin then it usually means that it has not cooked for long enough. With a curd the heat needs to remain fairly low and sometimes you need to be a little patient. Don't whisk too vigorously while the curd is cooking, just stir gently and constantly.
Trouble shooting: Most Lemon Curds are runny because they don't get cooked long enough, to 170 degrees F, to thicken the egg yolks – so cook on! If your curd isn't thickened after 10 minutes, or up to 15 if using a double boiler, then increase the temperature of the stove slightly – and don't stop whisking!
The microbes present in the curd help in setting if the temperature of the mixture remains approximately between 35∘C to 40∘C. At places, where room temperature remains much below the range, setting of curd becomes difficult.
The time that the milk takes to convert into curd depends on the temperature. In a warm, hot and humid climate, the time taken for the curd to set will be 4 to 7 hours. Whereas in a cool or cold climate, the time taken can be 8 to 12 hours.
To thicken runny lemon curd, put the curd back into your saucepan, place over the lowest possible heat, and stir constantly. The curd will thin out at first as the butter melts, but it will eventually begin to thicken back up.
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