This Raspberry Curd is amazing. I love the taste of raspberries and the flavor of the raspberries is intensified in this easy fruit curd that takes 30 minutes to make. The curd is creamy, fruity, and tastes good on anything. Make it and then make this yummy Raspberry Curd Fruit Tart.
There is nothing like the smell of cooking raspberries. Okay maybe there is, but they smell so amazing that if I could bottle that scent I would. As the raspberries cook the smell fills your entire house. And in the end, you are left with this creamy, tart fruit spread that is so delicious I eat it by the spoon full. If you love fruit curd, check out the recipes for my other Fruit Curds, including classics like lemon and lime.
Ingredients for Raspberry Curd
Curd is a simple, easy to make fruit spread that has 5 basic ingredients:
- Whole Eggs and Egg Yolks. The eggs thicken the curd
- Granualated Sugar. Because you always need a little bit of sweetness and combined with the eggs to thicken the curd.
- Unsalted Butter. Butter adds a creamy and rich texture to the curd.
- Raspberries (Fruit). The more acidic the fruit the thicker the curd because acid causes the proteins to set up in the eggs.
- Lemon Juice.
The original fruit curd was lemon curd dating back to the 1800's in England. Fruit curd is different than jams because it uses fruit juice instead of the whole fruit like jam. In addition, it relies on eggs and the natural fruit pectin to thicken into a creamy spread. Of all the fruit curds I have made to date lemon, lime and kumquats thicken the most, and the other versions like strawberry and rhubarb, require lemon juice to help thicken them.
How to Make the Raspberry Curd
Making the raspberry curd starts with 16 ounces of fresh raspberries. The raspberries are cooked with 1/2 of the sugar called for in the recipe until the berries are thoroughly broken down and the fruit juices have started to thicken.
Strain the berries through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds and you should be left with 1 cup of raspberry puree. It is okay if you have as little as 3/4 cup. Allow the puree to cool to room temperature. You can also make the fruit puree two days in advance and refrigerate it until you're ready to make the curd.
In a 3-quart saucepan combine the raspberry puree, the remaining sugar, the lemon juice, and the eggs. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the curd thickens and reaches a temperature of 185 degrees F.
Remove the curd from the heat and whisk in the room temperature butter one tablespoon at a time. Each addition should be thoroughly combined before adding the next piece of butter.
Strain the curd through a medium-coarse strainer into a bowl to catch any of the egg solids. Cover the curd with plastic wrap by pressing the plastic into the surface of the curd.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to thoroughly chill. The curd will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can also freeze it for up to a year, which means if you have a family get-together coming up, this raspberry curd is the perfect treat to share for breakfast, lunch, or dessert.
Serving Options
- Use the raspberry curd as a topping for pancakes, waffles, ice cream, yogurt, cheesecake, other cakes, and even just plain toast.
- Use it as filling for layer cakes, tarts, crepes, or sandwich cookies.
Pro Tips for Making Fruit Curd
- Use a nonreactive pan to make fruit curd. Stainless steel and copper are examples of non-reactive pans. Aluminum and cast iron are reactive pans. Reactive pans will react with the acid in the recipe and change taste of the curd.
- Do not attempt to rush this recipe by cooking over a higher temperature and do not leave the saucepan unattended. If you have to walk away remove the pan from the heat.
- Use the temperature to determine when the curd is done. The curd takes about 10 minutes to cook, but the temperature is a better gauge to determine doneness. The temperature for most fruit curds is 180-185°F.
Other Fruit Curd Recipes
I love making fruit curds. While the name doesn't sound all that good, it is one of the tastiest treats to make and an easy way to add additional flavor to your desserts. Here are some of my other favorite curds and recipes using curd fillings:
- Strawberry Rhubarb Curd Tarts
- Cranberry Curd (bookmark this one for Thanksgiving and Christmas)
- Seville Orange Curd
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Fresh Raspberry Curd
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (454 grams) fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) white sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 (100 grams) whole eggs
- 4 (80 grams) egg yolks
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
Instructions
- Place the raspberries, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water in a 3-quart non-reactive saucepan. Cook the raspberries over medium heat until they start to break down. Use a potato masker to completely break down the berries Strain the berries through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds. You should have 1 cup of puree. Allow the raspberries to cool to room temperature. Add the lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and taste the mixture. If it is still a little tart add additional sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until desired sweetness is reached.
- Place the raspberry puree back in the 3-quart saucepan. Rinse and dry the bowl and place it next to the stove with a medium-coarse strainer Add the whole eggs and egg yolks to the raspberry-lemon mixture and whisk to combine.
- Cook the curd over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with silicone spatula or metal whisk, until the mixture is thickened and registers 180 degrees in multiple spots, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Off heat, whisk in the butter one tablespoon at a time until incorporated. Strain curd through the medium-coarse strainer into the bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of the curd and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to chill and thicken it. (Curd can be refrigerated for up to 7 days.)
sallybr says
Such beautiful color! I am looking forward to the tart you made with it...
Cheryl Norris says
Thank you Sally. I really love fruit curd and was so happy with the way it turned out. The Raspberry Tart I made with the curd is now posted and here is the link - https://bakesbybrownsugar.com/raspberry-curd-fruit-tart/.
Alicia says
Hi there! I’m noticing you didn’t include the butter measurement in your recipe ingredients. I’m assuming it’s similar to your lemon curd recipe - 113g? Thanks!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Alicia
I can't believe I forgot to add that to the list. Yes, it is 113 grams or 8 tablespoons. Thank you for letting me know about this error.
Alicia says
Thank you for the quick response! 🙂
Cheryl Norris says
You're welcome. You did me a huge favor.
Heather says
I got about 1.75 cups of purée. Should i just use 1 cup? Mine is pretty thin.
Oke says
Can I use frozen raspberries for this?
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Oke
Yes, you can use frozen raspberries for this recipe. You may need to cook the berries a little longer to get it reduced down to 1 cup of puree.
Mary Champion says
Do you think that this raspberry curd would work as a filling between 2 layers of cake? And do you think that it would hold up if I made the cake with the raspberry filling in advance and froze it for about a week?
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Mary
I wouldn't use it as a cake filling with the way the current recipe is written. However, if you pipe a dam around the cake it might hold, but I can't guarantee it. If you do it let me know how it works.
Tammi says
Do you think this curd on the bottom layer of a pie with lemon curd on top and Italian meringue would be lovely together?
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Tammi
That sounds amazing! Lemon and raspberry taste so good together. Please let me know how it tastes and if you take pictures I would love to see it.
Renee says
Your description of the recipe above and the actual recipe listed seem quite different. For instance in your description of the process you say to use 12 oz of raspberries, yet in your "recipe" below the paragraphs it says to use 16 oz. At the very top it says specifically to use egg yolks, yet in the recipe it says egg yolks and whole eggs. I am not certain which to follow in making this recipe and have never made a curd. Also curd's typically have some sort of milk element (as that is what curdles). Without the milk, how tart is it?
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Renee
Thank you for letting me know about the mistakes in the post. I have corrected those so the post agrees with the recipe, but always follow the recipe card if there is a conflict between the two.
Seonaid says
It is not supposed to curdle. It should be satin-smooth.
Carina says
I love this! How well does the curd keep its shape in a tart after you cut in to it? Does it hold its shape or does it get oozy?
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Carina
Thanks for the compliment. If you bake the tart, the curd will be firm once it has cooled and the tart slices will keep their shape. If you don't bake the tart, the filling will be a little runny, but you if you refrigerate the tart right up until the tart is serve, it should hold its shape long enough for a nice presentation. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Angie H says
Is the second straining essential, and why?
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Angie
That's a good question. The second straining is to remove any bits of cooked egg (which are minimal) and to ensure a smooth curd. I hope this is helpful.
Angie H says
Thanks!
Cheryl Norris says
You're welcome!
Froggy says
I made the recipe with a bag of frozen raspberries. It was a little less than 16 oz, but I still managed to get a cup of puree out of it. Everything still turned out great and the raspberry curd was the perfect filling for pavlova.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Froggy
Thank you for trying this curd recipe and leaving a review. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for the info about the frozen raspberries.
Salwa says
I made lemon bars and added the curd as a second layer on top. I put the dish in the oven to solidify the curd a bit more- although I would suggest maybe a few tablespoons of flour next time I put it in the oven to keep it more firm. It’s delicious. I love tartness so I didn’t add as much sugar.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Salwa
That's such a delicious use of the raspberry curd. I love the sound of this combination. Thank you for sharing your idea, I love it.