I love using seasonal fruit and this Blueberry Curd recipe makes great use of fresh Oregon blueberries. Blueberries are juicy and can range from tangy to sweet, which makes them perfect for this curd, a great tasting variation of my traditional lemon curd recipe. It's creamy, tart; has a beautiful bright purple color and tastes just like blueberries. And the best part - it takes less than 30 minutes to make.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Texture and Taste. This curd is smooth and creamy, sweet and tangy and spreads like a dream on your pancakes, biscuits, or scones.
Transforms ordinary desserts to extraordinary. A dollop of this homemade blueberry curd on your slice of cake or scoop of ice will elevate your dessert to gourmet status and impress your guests.
Easy to make. Fruit curds are easy to make and a great way to take advantage of seasonal fruit. Some of my other favorite summer curd flavors on the blog include:
And if you're looking for how to use blueberry curd in other recipes, try my Blueberry Curd Tart.
Blueberry Curd Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for this delicious fruit curd:
- Fresh Blueberries: I love using fresh seasonal fruit for curd, but this recipe can also be made with frozen blueberries.
- Large Eggs and Egg Yolks: The eggs add flavor, thicken the curd and create a creamy texture. They also make a stable emulsion - meaning the curd won't separate or break apart when it cools.
- Granulated Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness, but the main purpose of the sugar is to combine with the eggs to create a creamy custard. The sugar breaks up the protein clumps in the eggs, which results in raising the temperature in which the eggs set. Permitting the egg proteins to set slow and disperse with the other ingredients results in a smooth and creamy fruit curd.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter adds richness to the curd and helps make the curd satiny smooth. If you are allergic to dairy you can make the curd without butter. It will be a little less creamy, but still taste delicious.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds to the tartness of this fruit curd and also helps this particular curd thicken.
How to Make Blueberry Curd
While blueberry curd does thicken, it doesn't get as thick as lemon curd so it won't be thick enough to use a cake filling.
Step 1: Puree the blueberries in a mini food processor to break them down.
Breaking the skin down before cooking the blueberries will make it easier to draw the color from the blueberry skins.
Step 2: Place the pureed blueberries, part of the sugar, and half of the lemon juice in a saucepan and cook the mixture until it's reduced, thickened, and turns dark purple.
Cooking the blueberries likes this get's a lot of the of the color out of the blueberry skin and it also releases the natural pectin, which will help thicken the curd as it chills in the refrigerator.
Step 3: After cooking the blueberies, strain them through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove the skins. Let the berries cool until they are barely warm.
Step 4: Add the remaining lemon juice, then taste the blueberry mixture. Add the remainder of the sugar a little at a time until the desired level of sweetness is achieved.
The natural sweetness of blueberries can vary so it's important to adjust he sugar according to the sweetness of the blueberries.
Step 5: Pour the blueberry puree back into the cleaned saucepan. Whisk in the whole eggs and egg yolks.
Step 6: Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk the curd continuously until it reaches 190°F, about 7-10 minutes.
Step 7: Remove the curd from the heat and stir in the unsalted butter one tablespoon at a time, waiting until one tablespoon is incorporated before adding the next tablespoon.
Step 8: Strain the curd through a fine mesh strainer into a stainless steel bowl and cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap.
Covering the surface prevents a skin from forming on top of the curd. Chill the curd for at least 2 hours.
How to Store the Curd
Refrigerate: The blueberry fruit curd can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Freezer: The curd can be frozen for up to a year. Place it in an airtight freezer saofe container. When ready to use it, let it thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using it.
Serving Options
- Use it as a topping for pancakes, waffles, ice cream, yogurt, cheesecake, other cakes and even just plain toast.
- Use it as filling for tarts, crepes or sandwich cookies.
How to Fix Runny Fruit Curd
Refrigerate: If the blueberry curd is runny make sure it's been refrigerated for at least 2 hours.
Cook it More: If the curd is runny it may not have been cooked long enough. The eggs need to reach a temperature of at least 170°F. Gently reheat the curd over medium heat, whisking constantly. Check the temperature with a thermometer or look for signs like the curd coating the back of a spoon and leaving trails when whisked.
Add Cornstarch: Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Whisk it into the warm curd, then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Don't overcook, or the curd can become gummy.
Add An Extra Egg Yolk: Whisk an additional egg yolk in a small bowl, then slowly drizzle it into the warm curd while whisking continuously. Return the curd to heat and cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Use a nonreactive (stainless steel) saucepan to make the curd. An aluminum pan will react with the acid in this fruit and affect the taste.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of the curd to ensure that it cooks long enough without boiling.
- Use unsalted butter for this recipe. Salted butter will create an off taste.
- If using the curd to make a tart, the warm curd can be poured directly into the prepared tart shell.
If you make this blueberry curd recipe please leave a rating and a comment below.
Connect with me on Instagram and tag me @bakesbybrownsugar to share your recipe remake photos.
Like what you see? Click here to subscribe to Bake's by Brown Sugar Baking Newsletter to get free and delicious recipes delivered to your inbox.
If You Like This Fruit Curd Recipe, Try These Recipes
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below and I'll send it to your inbox. Plus get new and recommended recipes sent to you every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Bakes by Brown Sugar.
Homemade Blueberry Curd
Equipment
- Medium-sized heatproof bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups (284 grams) fresh blueberries
- 4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup (150 grams) white sugar
- 2 (100 grams) whole eggs
- 4 (80 grams) egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons (65 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
Instructions
- Wash and dry the blueberries. Process them in a food processor. Pour the pureed berries into a 3-quart saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of sugar. Cook the berries over medium heat until the puree turns dark purple, and it has started to thicken, 10 minutes.
- Strain the mixture into a medium-sized bowl through a fine mesh strainer to remove the blueberry skins. You should have about 1 cup of blueberry puree. Let the puree cool until it is just barely warm. While the puree is cooling clean the saucepan you cooked the berries in.
- Pour the blueberry puree back into the saucepan. Clean the bowl and use it for the finished curd. Add the remaining lemon juice. Add the remaining sugar 2 tablespoons at a time. Whisk and taste after each addition until the desired sweetness is reached. The puree should still be a little tart.
- Place a medium bowl with a fine-mesh strainer next to the stove. Add the whole eggs, and egg yolks to the saucepan and whisk to thoroughly combine. Place the pan over medium-low heat and whisk constantly, until the mixture is slightly thickened and registers 190°F.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter one tablespoon at a time, only adding the next pat of butter when the previous is thoroughly incorporated.
- Strain curd through the strainer into the bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. The curd can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.
Thanks for visiting my blog. Let me know what you think.