Strawberry Curd with Fresh Strawberries (No Cornstarch)
This is a delicious strawberry fruit curd that is perfect as an ice cream topping or a yummy addition to your strawberry shortcake. The curd is thickened by cooking strawberries until they're thick and jammy. No cornstarch is used for thickening. The final curd is yummy, spoonable, creamy and full of strawberry goodness.
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 701kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 grams) fresh strawberries
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs
- 4 large (80 grams) egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter room temperature (65-68°F)
Instructions
- Place a medium-sized heat proof bowl with a fine mesh strainer near the stove.
Make the Strawberry Curd
- Remove the stems from the strawberries. Coarsely chop the strawberries and place them in a 4-quart saucepan with the sugar and lemon juice. Bring the strawberries to a boil and then reduce to medium heat. Cook the berries, stirring occasionally until they're reduced to 1-3/4 cups. About 7 minutes.
- If there are any pieces of strawberry left smash the strawberries or use an immersion blender to completely puree them. Taste the strawberries and add more sugar if you want it a little sweeter. Add up to 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired level of sweetness is achieved, but be careful not too add too much as the curd is supposed to be a little tart.
- Cool the mixture to room temperature. Add the whole eggs, and egg yolks and salt. Whisk to combine the eggs and strawberries.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it starts to thicken and reaches about 190°F, about 10-12 minutes. The final mixture will not be as thick as a traditional lemon curd, but will thicken a little more after it is refrigerated.
- Remove the pot from the heat, and add the butter one tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition until the butter is thoroughly combined. Strain the curd into a bowl to remove the solids.
Chill the Curd
- Cover with plastic wrap by lightly pressing the plastic wrap onto the surface of the strawberry curd to keep a skin from forming as it cools. Place the curd in the refrigerator to cool for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The curd will thicken as it cools.
Storing the Curd
- Store the curd in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Taste the Strawberries First: Taste your strawberries before making this curd. They should be naturally sweet, have a good strawberry flavor and preferably be red throughout the center. If the strawberries don't have a lot of flavor, then the curd won't be good.
Using Frozen Strawberries: I recommend making this curd during strawberry season, but if you're making this curd outside of strawberry season, use frozen fruit.
Use a Stainless Steel Pot: Reactive metals like aluminum and cast iron can leach into the acidic strawberry mixture, leaving a metallic off-flavor in the finished curd. A nonreactive surface keeps the flavor clean and bright. You can also use an enameled pot.
Freezing the Curd: This curd can be frozen in an airtight freezer container for up to one year. Place the curd in the container and write the date on it. When ready to use thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 701kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 630mg | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 480mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 1660IU | Vitamin C: 142mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 3mg