Strawberry Curd Recipe and Tips
Bursting with the fresh flavors of ripe strawberries and a hint of tangy lemon, this versatile strawberry curd is the perfect addition to your breakfast or dessert menu. Whether spreading it on toast, swirling it into yogurt, or using it as a filling for your favorite pastries, our homemade strawberry curd will surely become a staple in your kitchen. So, let’s get started and bring the taste of summer into your kitchen!
It is a fun day when I can play McGyver anywhere, especially in my kitchen. My mind enjoys noodling out-of-the-box solutions to a current problem. This Strawberry Curd Recipe posed a challenge, for which I am thrilled to have found a solution.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Strawberry Curd Recipe
Fresh and Fruity Flavor: Strawberry curd has a delightful balance of sweetness and tartness that comes from the combination of fresh strawberries and lemon juice. This refreshing flavor is perfect for brightening your favorite desserts or breakfast dishes.
Versatility: You can use strawberry curd in numerous ways, such as a spread for toast, a topping for pancakes, or a filling for cakes, tarts, and pastries. Its versatility makes it an excellent addition to your culinary repertoire.
Easy to Make: This simple recipe requires just a few ingredients and steps. Even if you’re new to making fruit curds, this recipe is easy to follow, making it an excellent choice for all skill levels.
Homemade Goodness: Making strawberry curd allows you to control the quality of ingredients and adjust the sweetness to your liking. Homemade curd is free of preservatives and artificial additives, making it a healthier option than store-bought versions.
Perfect for Gifting: Strawberry curd, packaged in a pretty jar, makes a thoughtful and delicious gift for friends and family. It’s a unique and tasty treat that is sure to be appreciated.
What is a Curd?
Can we all agree that someone should’ve put a bit more effort into naming this luscious, creamy, fruity, tasty treat?
That said, you can make fruit curds with just about any fruit. I might take a pass on tomato curd or banana curd, but most others would be delicious! The typical curd ingredients are fruit juice, egg yolks, sugar, and butter.
The fruit juice, sugar, and eggs are whisked and cooked over medium heat until the delightful combination thickens, at which point the butter is typically added. If you search ‘fruit curds’, you will find many variations of this recipe; this is the basic recipe and the one I used for my Strawberry Curd.
The Conundrum: How to Add More ‘Strawberry’ to Strawberry Curd
When I decided to make this Strawberry Curd, I used my stand-by lemon curd recipe, just swapped strawberry puree for the lemon juice. To say that I was underwhelmed would be an understatement. Not only was the first taste on my tongue egg yolk, but the bright strawberry color faded to a dull pinkish/beige-ish color. It was completely unappealing.
The challenge was finding a balance between enough egg to help the strawberry puree set up to curd consistency but not too much that I ended up with ‘egg yolk curd!’ While experimenting, I realized that the strawberry was not intense enough to overcome the egg yolks.
As I was noodling ways to up the strawberry flavor, I quickly considered and discarded adding strawberry extract. And that’s when I had my McGyver moment…strawberry powder! I had made and used raspberry powder for my Raspberry Macarons and knew that it was easy to make and made a significant impact on flavor and color.
I purchased a 1-ounce bag of freeze-dried strawberries, ground them up, and sifted the seeds. I then added some strawberry powder to my strawberry curd, and then sat back and enjoyed it by the spoonful! The addition of 2 tablespoons of strawberry powder brought the fresh flavor of strawberries back to the tip of my tongue. And the color dramatically improved from pinkish beige-ish to PINK!
Frequently Asked Questions About Strawberry Curd
While similar in texture, curds are different from custards in that they contain more fruit juice and/or zest, making them a bolder, fruitier treat. And while custards are typically the focus of the dessert, curds are usually accompaniments or fillings.
Store strawberry curd in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you want to keep it longer, you can freeze it for up to three months. Just leave some room in the container for expansion during freezing. Let it come to room temperature on its own, don’t try to defrost or thaw it in the microwave.
Yes, you can make strawberry curd with frozen strawberries. Just thaw the strawberries and drain any excess liquid before pureeing them. Frozen and thawed strawberries may slightly affect the final texture and taste, but it should still be delicious.
You can make an egg-free strawberry curd using cornstarch or agar-agar as a thickening agent. Remember that the texture and taste might differ slightly from the traditional egg-based curd.
Yes, you can make a vegan strawberry curd by substituting dairy butter with plant-based butter or coconut oil. You can also replace eggs with an egg substitute like silken tofu, agar-agar, or cornstarch as a thickening agent.
Yes, you can replace other fruit curds with strawberry curd in most recipes, but be aware that the flavor profile will change. Strawberry curd tastes sweeter and more delicate than tart fruit curds like lemon or lime.
Strawberry curd is done when it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and leaves a clear path when you run your finger through it. The temperature should reach around 170°F (77°C) on a candy thermometer.
Lumpy or grainy curd can result from overcooking, cooking too high a temperature, or not whisking the mixture continuously. To fix this, strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps and ensure a smooth consistency.
Best Ways to Use Strawberry Curd
It may be quicker to share how not to use your strawberry curd, but since you asked…
As a Breakfast Spread: Use strawberry curd as a spread on scones, toast, bagels, croissants, or English muffins for a fruity and delicious start to your day.
In a Parfait: Layer strawberry curd with yogurt and granola to create a delicious and colorful parfait.
As a French Toast, Pancake, Waffle Topping, or Crepe Filling: Swirl the curd over pancakes, waffles, French toast, or inside crepes, adding flavor to your favorite breakfast dishes.
As a Tart or Pie Filling: These Strawberry Mini Tarts are the perfect showcase for your strawberry curd! Easy to make ahead and quite the show-stopper! Use the curd as a filling for any pre-baked tart or pie crust. You can then top it with whipped cream or meringue.
As a Fruit Dip: Use the curd as a dip for fresh fruit, such as apple slices, bananas, or berries.
As a Cake Filling: Spread strawberry curd between cake layers to add a fruity twist to your favorite sponge or white cake recipe.
As a Cupcake Frosting: Mix strawberry curd with whipped cream or buttercream frosting to create a delicious cupcake topping.:
As a Swirl in Cheesecake: Swirl strawberry curd into a cheesecake batter before baking for a visually striking and flavorful dessert.
As Layers in Trifle: Layer strawberry curd with cake, whipped cream, and fresh fruit cubes to create a beautiful and tasty trifle.
As an Ice Cream or Panna Cotta Topping: Drizzle strawberry curd over your favorite ice cream, gelato, or Panna Cotta for a fruity twist.
In Eton Mess: Fold strawberry curd into a mixture of whipped cream and crushed meringue, then top with fresh strawberries for a British-inspired dessert.
In Thumbprint Cookies: Make a well in the center of your favorite thumbprint cookie dough and fill it with strawberry curd before baking.
These are just a few ideas to get you started, but the possibilities for using strawberry curd are endless. Feel free to experiment and find your favorite ways to enjoy this versatile and delicious treat.
Strawberry Curd Recipe and Tips
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberry puree
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered strawberries made from dehydrated strawberries see note
- 1/4 – 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice preferably fresh
- 6 large egg yolks
- Pinch of salt
- 1 stick of butter cut into 8 pieces
Instructions
- Combine lemon juice, sugar, salt, and eggs.
- Pour strawberry puree, powdered strawberries, and egg mixture into a wide-bottomed saucepan and whisk to combine.
- Place saucepan over medium heat and whisk almost continuously, until thickened, about 10-15 minutes.
- Once the curd has the consistency of sour cream and you can run your finger through the back of a spoon coated with the curd and see the finger track, remove it from the heat.
- Stir in the butter and mix until fully incorporated.
- Let it cool slightly and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface.
- Refrigerate until cool and ready to use.
- Keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
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Thanks for all the tips and help in making this fruit curd. I would never have attempted it, if not for your precise instructions. Now, to make some tarts! YUM!
This is absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS and was the perfect curd. My girls and I love strawberries, so this was perfect for our Sunday morning biscuits.