Home-made blackcurrant curd is a delicious treat that can be enjoyed with toast, scones or even just on its own. Rich in natural sweetness and sharpness, this classic British condiment has been made since the days of Elizabethan England and is still loved by many today. Whether from your own garden, local pick-your-own farm, or shop, you can quickly whip up a batch of your own. Not only will you have something tasty to enjoy immediately, but you’ll also get to know the secrets behind making this special curd from scratch. It may well lead you to more fruit curd experiments!
Why make homemade blackcurrant curd?
Few treats can beat homemade blackcurrant curd – it’s a delicious, versatile and surprisingly easy condiment to make. Perfect for accompanying afternoon tea or spreading on scones, this classic delight will bring joy to your home in no time. Plus, with natural sweetness, sharpness and beautiful colour, what’s not to love about making your blackcurrant curd? And it will beat any shop-bought version every time.
Move over lemon curd, there’s a new fruit curd in town!
How to make blackcurrant curd
Making your blackcurrant curd at home is a surprisingly straightforward process. All you need are some blackcurrants, lemon, sugar, butter and beaten eggs – and you’re good to go!
Firstly, the blackcurrants are cooked with a little water to release their lovely juices, and strained. Then the rest of the ingredients are added to a glass bowl over simmering water at low heat and mixed. Add the blackcurrant juice and whisk together steadily until thickened. Transfer to sterilised jars for storing in the fridge or freezer. With just a few steps, you can quickly have a delicious tangy fruit curd to enjoy!
TIPS to make a delicious fruit curd
1. Use high-quality ingredients:
Choose fresh or frozen blackcurrants with no signs of spoilage. Use fresh eggs and real butter to ensure a superior flavour.
2. Consider straining the cooked mixture:
To create a smooth texture in your curd it is important to strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve after cooking it on the stovetop. This will help reduce any lumps or chunks in your curd while also ensuring an even consistency throughout.
3. Cook at low heat:
When making blackcurrant curd it’s important to cook the mixture at a very low temperature – ideally between 60-70°C (140-160°F). This ensures that you don’t overcook or burn the sugars and preserves all of its flavours for maximum deliciosity!
4. It’s important to keep stirring/whisking throughout the process to ensure that everything blends perfectly and to fight against the tendency for the mixture to form lumps.
5. If you do decide to freeze some, do so as soon as possible, and not when it’s been sitting in the fridge for a few weeks already!
Customize that curd!
1. Add a pinch of ground cardamom to the curd mixture for a subtle, sweet and spiced flavour. Or a star anise to the boiling blackcurrant and water mixture.
2. Infuse the blackcurrant curd with fresh ginger by adding freshly grated ginger to the water mixture.
3. Use natural fruit extracts such as orange zest and juice, and raspberry or cranberry juice in place of water when making your blackcurrant curd recipe for an extra hint of flavour!
4. Add more sugar if you prefer this naturally sharp curd to be sweeter.
Ways to enjoy this blackcurrant curd:
1. Spread blackcurrant curd onto toast for a delicious breakfast treat.
2. Use it as a filling in cupcakes or cakes or meringues to give them an extra special twist. Or swirl through your next muffin or cake loaf mix.
3. Add a dollop to yoghurt or rice pudding for added sweetness and flavour.
4. Top ice cream sundaes with generous dollops of blackcurrant curd for a decadent dessert experience.
5. Swirl blackcurrant curd into panna cotta, cheesecake, mousses, custards and other creamy desserts to create unique flavours and combinations that everyone will love!
There you have it – making your blackcurrant curd is an easy and rewarding process. Not only is homemade curd cheaper to make than buying from a store, but it also allows you to experiment with different flavours to make it truly unique. Come on, give it a try and expand your fruit curd range.
Blackcurrant Curd Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen scales
- Chopping board and knife
- Large saucepan
- Jelly bag OR fine-mesh sieve OR double-folded muslin lining a colander
- Long-handled spoon for stirring
- Heat-proof glass bowl
- Smaller bowl
- Strainer
- Whisk
- Ladle
- Jam Funnel
- Clean, sterilised glass jars with sealable lids
Ingredients
- 500 g blackcurrants
- 1 medium lemon
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 250 g caster sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 120-140 ml water
Instructions
- Remove the blackcurrants from their stalks by running a fork through the stalks. Wash the berries and the lemon and let them drain.
- Add the blackcurrants to the preserving pan with the water and turn up the heat.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. This allows the fruit to soften. You can support this by squashing the berries with a potato masher or the back of your spoon.
- Once softened and infused into the water, remove the pan from the heat. Carefully strain the dark mixture into a clean bowl; discard leftover seeds and skins (and bits of stalk).
- Prepare a heavy-bottomed saucepan with boiled water and set it to simmer on the cooker.
- Crack and beat the eggs.
- Prepare the zest and juice of half of the lemon.
- In a heatproof glass bowl, mix the sugar and butter and set them over the saucepan of simmering water. Keep the heat low.
- Once the butter has melted, add the lemon zest and juice and the strained blackcurrant juice. Stir to mix.
- Pour the beaten eggs through a strainer into the bowl and start to whisk the mixture.Foam might start to form but this will settle as the mixture starts to thicken.
- Keep whisking steadily for 20-40min, until it starts to thicken and coat the back of a spoon and/or reaches a temperature of between 70-80 degrees Celcius (165-185F). The mixture will thicken further as it cools.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and ladle it into sterilised jars and seal them with their lids. You could strain the cooked mixture into the jars to ensure as smooth a texture as possible to your curd.
- For storing, always refrigerate fruit curds. It can last in the fridge for 4-6 weeks. (FYI-tastes best in the first 2 weeks).You can freeze some in freezer-safe containers for later use and extend the shelf-life and enjoyment for 4-6 months. This homemade fruit curd is a great way to enjoy this tart berry.
Notes
TIPS to make a delicious curd
1. Use high-quality ingredients:
Choose fresh or frozen blackcurrants with no signs of spoilage. Use fresh eggs and real butter to ensure a superior flavour.2. Consider straining the cooked mixture:
To create a smooth texture in your curd it is important to strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve after cooking it on the stovetop. This will help reduce any lumps or chunks in your curd while also ensuring an even consistency throughout.3. Cook at low heat:
When making blackcurrant curd it’s important to cook the mixture at a very low temperature – ideally between 60-70°C (140-160°F). This ensures that you don’t overcook or burn the sugars and preserves all of its flavours for maximum deliciosity! 4. It’s important to keep stirring/whisking throughout the process to ensure that everything blends perfectly and to fight against the tendency for the mixture to form lumps. 5. If you do decide to freeze some, do so as soon as possible, and not when it’s been sitting in the fridge for a few weeks already!Customize that curd!
1. Add a pinch of ground cardamom to the curd mixture for a subtle, sweet and spiced flavour. Or a star anise to the boiling blackcurrant and water mixture. 2. Infuse the blackcurrant curd with fresh ginger by adding freshly grated ginger to the water mixture. 3. Use natural fruit extracts such as orange zest and juice, and raspberry or cranberry juice in place of water when making your blackcurrant curd recipe for an extra hint of flavour! 4. Add more sugar if you prefer this naturally sharp curd to be sweeter.Blackcurrant curd uses:
1. Spread blackcurrant curd onto toast for a delicious breakfast treat. 2. Use it as a filling in cupcakes or cakes or meringues to give them an extra special twist. Or swirl through your next muffin or cake loaf mix. 3. Add a dollop to yoghurt or rice pudding for added sweetness and flavour. 4. Top ice cream sundaes with generous dollops of blackcurrant curd for a decadent dessert experience. 5. Swirl blackcurrant curd into panna cotta, cheesecake, mousses, custards and other creamy desserts to create unique flavours and combinations that everyone will love!Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
All nutritional information is an estimate only, based on third-party calculations derived from an online nutritional calculator, Spoonacular API. The data provided is a courtesy and should not be considered a guarantee or fact. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients and brands you use, your measuring methods and portion sizes. For accurate results, we recommend that you calculate the nutritional information yourself, using a preferred nutritional calculator or advice from a nutritionist, based on your ingredients and individual processes.