Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Blackberry Curd

Nothing like a nice sweet blackberry!  They are so delicious in beverages, jams, cookies, and pies.  And now I know, lovely in curd, too!
Curd, while having a pretty awful name, is a truly wonderful thing.  If you've never had it, you must!  For me, nothing beats lemon curd.  But this blackberry sure gives it a run for its money!  I am currently contemplating a dessert using both together...ahhh, I can hardly wait!  Anyway, curd is a smooth, intensely-flavored fruit spread.  It's used on things like cakes, pastries, and biscuits (or directly from spoon to mouth).
This recipe is adapted from Alchemy in the Kitchen.  When I first read the words "blackberry" and "curd", I was hooked!  After all, tis the season and I've got a whole bowlful of fresh berries in the fridge just begging to be used in something so scrumptious!
Making the curd is easy, but takes about a half an hour plus cooling time.  I'm pretty sure there will be some future posts with this as an ingredient...if my son doesn't eat it all first, that is!

Blackberry Curd
Adapted from Alchemy in the Kitchen

Ingredients:
3 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups fresh blackberry juice (made from pressing about 14 oz of berries through a strainer)
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1.  Put a strainer over a clean, medium, heat-safe bowl.  Set aside.

2.  Beat the eggs with a whisk in a large saucepan.  Whisk in the berry juice.  Whisk in the sugar and then the lemon juice.

3.  Set the pan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened.  The hot curd should coat the back of a metal spoon.  You should be able to run your finger through it and have the line stay as you made it.  This will take about 15-20 minutes.

4.  Pour the mixture through the strainer, into the bowl.  Whisk in the cold butter and then the vanilla.

5.  Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly over the curd (so that it doesn't form a skin).  Let the mixture cool.  Then, cover and chill until cold.

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