Blueberry Curd

Tangy, sweet, and gorgeous, blueberry curd is a beautiful alternative to the standard lemon. Serve it on scones, in tarts, on yogurt, or by the spoonful!

Move over, lemon curd, there’s a new kid in town. And purpley-blue is the new yellow. I refer, of course, to blueberry curd.

You can use it in so many ways. Fill a tart, or top a scone. Or you could always top a pavlova or mini pavlovas, like in this raspberry curd version.

What is a Curd?

A curd is a cooked fruit spread that is thickened with eggs. Curds are typically tart and tangy, and complemented well by lightly sweetened elements like whipped cream or custard.

Lemon curd is the most commonly made variety, but it can be made with a variety of fruits. This blueberry curd is an excellent example of a less traditional fruit being used.

Blueberry Curd Ingredients

• Blueberries — You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, either works!
  
• Lemon Zest — Zest one large lemon, which should make about 1 tablespoon of zest. Make sure to wash and dry your lemon first!
  
• Lemon Juice — After zesting, you’ll simply cut the lemon in half and juice it. You should have about 1/4 cup–if not, juice another lemon until you’ve got the correct amount.
  
• Sugar — For this recipe, opt for a fine grain white sugar. Brown sugar will add more moisture to the curd, which could mess up the way it sets. And while I prefer a coarser organic sugar for most recipes, in this case you want the sugar to dissolve as quickly and easily as possible.
  
• Eggs + Egg yolks — These help thicken the curd and give it a smooth, velvety texture.
  
• Salt –Just to round out and balance all of those flavors.
  
• Butter — This also helps the blueberry curd set, and also adds flavor.

Equipment Needed

• Medium pot
• Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
• Mesh strainer
• Mixing bowl
• Potato masher or large fork
• Citrus zester and juicer

How to Make Blueberry Curd

Begin by washing your fruit (unless the blueberries are frozen), zest and juice the lemon, and set out the eggs to come to room temperature. Set a fine mesh sieve over a bowl.

Place the blueberries in the pot and add the sugar, salt, zest, and lemon juice over them. Cook the blueberries over medium low heat. Smash the blueberries and cook them until they’re very juicy, about 5-8 minutes.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Ladle spoonfuls of the how blueberry mixture into the eggs while whisking to slowly warm them up. They will turn a strange greenish color, but that’s just the color of the blueberries mixing with the yellow of the yolks.

Add the warmed blueberries slowly back into the pot. Replace it on the heat and stir constantly until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Make sure not to overcook the curd, as that can make the egg curdle.

Remove the blueberry curd from the heat pour it through the sieve placed over a bowl. This removes the blueberry skins and also any tiny bits of eggs which may have cooked. Press the curd down with the back of a spoon to get as much through the sieve as possible.

While the curd is still warm, add the butter. Stir it in until the butter is melted and completely incorporated.

How to Store the Curd

Once the curd has cooled, place it in a clean, dry container with an airtight lid. Something like a jar works great!

Keep the curd chilled in the refrigerator. It should keep for one to two weeks.

Tips for Making the Best Curd

Making a Blueberry Curd Tart

Once you have your curd made, you can easily turn it into a beautiful blueberry curd tart. This recipe will for 4-5 4″ tart crusts, or you can make a 9″ tart.

To make a tart with the blueberry curd, prepare your crust. This is my tart crust recipe and it works beautifully! You’ll want to parbake them, which means to bake them most of the way, until they’re just lightly golden brown.

Once the crusts are ready, simply spread the curd in until the crust is nearly filled. Place the filled tarts back in an oven preheated to 350° and bake them for another 10-12 minutes. You want the filling to be set, but not dry on top.

Remove the tarts from the oven. The filling may have puffed slightly during baking, but it will settle back down as it cools.

Chill the tarts thoroughly before serving to allow the curd to set. When cold, the curd should hold it’s shape after being cut. You can top with lightly sweetened whipped cream, berries, or other fruit.

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