We have all heard of lemon curd. That creamy, lemony, goodness that fills pies, is spread on biscuits or scones, or if you’re like me just eaten by the spoonful by itself!
Well, lemon curd is wonderful for spring and summer, but when it comes to fall and winter I want a curd that is a little more warm in flavor and reminds me of the holidays. That’s where this deliciously flavored and seasonal Cranberry Orange Curd comes in to play.
I was inspired to make this curd by a recipe for cranberry curd that I saw on the Cooking Light website. I love Cooking Light and I get a lot of great ideas from them. To put a slightly different spin on this recipe I decided that adding orange would compliment the cranberries nicely. I always see cranberry sauce recipes adding orange juice and zest to them, so why not add it to this curd. The orange juice complimented the cranberry perfectly!
I also added a little bit of orange extract to give it a slightly stronger orange flavor and some cinnamon to give it that warm spiced flavor. These flavors also took away some of the tartness of the cranberries. Since the inspiration for this Cranberry Orange Curd came from Cooking Light, you can be assured that it is healthier than your average curd. Most curds call for 4-5 egg yolks, this one only uses 3. I also cut back on the sugar and still found it to be sweet enough.
This recipe makes approximately 2 cups and is wonderful spread on toast, biscuits, or mixed in with some plain Greek yogurt (this was my favorite way to eat it). The curd will keep for about a week in the refrigerator and it would also make a great hostess gift to bring to Thanksgiving this year!
Cranberry Orange Curd
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 T. orange juice
- 1 (12 oz) bag of fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 T. room temperature butter
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 t. cornstarch
- 1/8 t. salt
- 1/4 t. cinnamon
- 1/4 t. orange extract (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan combine the water, orange juice, and cranberries.
- Bring them to a boil, reduce the heat, and let them simmer for 5 minutes.
- Place the cranberry mixture in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Strain the cranberry puree through a fine sieve over a bowl, so that you have a smooth mixture.
- In a stand mixer beat the room temperature butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium speed until well combined.
- Add the egg yolks and whole egg one at a time, beating them until they are well incorporated into the sugar butter mixture.
- Add in the cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt.
- Slowly pour in the warm cranberry mixture whisking continuously so the eggs don't cook.
- Place the mixture over a double boiler and cook over simmering water, whisking often, until the mixture thickens (about 5-10 minutes).
- Remove from the heat and stir in the orange extract.
- Cover the curd and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- The curd will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Notes
The orange extract is optional but adds an extra orange flavor to the curd. You could also use Grand Marnier.
looks like a yummy curd!
Thanks Dina!
I’m a sucker for all flavors of curd – this looks positively heavenly!
Thanks Megna! It really is the perfect curd for the holidays!
I can’t wait to try this! Hubby will be hunting this weekend so that will be the perfect opportunity!
Yay! I hope you like it, let me know what you think!
I just made this and it is lovely. While thickening the curd I kept tasting it and I was afraid it would turn out too sweet, but once it was done it was perfect. It is nice and rich, sweet, but still has that cranberry tang.
Maria, it’s so nice to hear feedback from people who have tried my recipes. I’m glad you liked the curd, I’m definitely going to have to make another batch soon!
Just made this and it is devine!
Yay! So glad you liked the curd Nicole. I need to make it again as soon as I can get my hands on some cranberries!
I’ve made this recipe four or five times and it always turns out great! I’ve also quadrupled the recipe and put it into small mason jars as party favors/hostess gifts – the recipe scales well and the curd keeps for several weeks (assuming you don’t devour it sooner!) We usually spoon it over vanilla ice cream or pound cake, and I like to add it to my Greek yogurt in the morning :) Thanks for posting!
I’m so glad you like it Annie! It’s a great flavor for winter.