This 5 ingredients Passion Fruit Curd is so light, bright and fresh - it's like sunshine in a jar! Serve it with scones, over pancakes, cheesecakes and pavlova, use as a cake filling and topping or as a delicious fruity topping for ice cream or yogurt.
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Why we love this recipe
Yes, you can make delicious Curds with any fruits - not just Lemon! Using fruits like Passion Fruit is a great way to create incredibly delicious, light and fresh curds that burst with flavour and colour!
Passion fruit is an amazing fruit that offers such a great contrast, both in flavour and texture. The flesh is both sweet and tangy and the seeds bring a super fun crunch. Yes, you can make this recipe without the seeds - but why would you!?
This homemade passion fruit curd is prepared with 5 ingredients only and will be ready in about 20 minute. Easy, peasy! Just like for this Passion Fruit Coulis and Passion Fruit Ice Cream , this recipe is a great way to use lots of passion fruits when your vine is bursting with fresh fruits.
More Curd Recipes:
Ingredients
This easy curd recipe only requires 5 basic ingredients (scroll down to recipe card for all quantities):
- Passion Fruit Pulp: that is both the seeds, flesh and passion fruit juice you will find inside a fresh passion fruit. You can use either fresh or frozen passionfruit pulp if it is 100% passion fruit (without added sugar etc...). See FAQs section below if using canned passion fruit.
- Sugar: Caster Sugar or Fine White Granulated Sugar. For a sugar-free passionfruit curd, replace the sugar with a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
- Lemon Juice: optional - but a simple way to balance the sweet flavour of passion fruit.
- Egg Yolks: from medium size eggs, at room temperature. If you want a thicker curd, add an extra egg yolk. Keep the egg whites for another recipe.
- Butter: Unsalted Butter, not too cold (take it out of the fridge and cut into cubes 10 to 15 minutes before starting this recipe).
Note that I recommend tasting your passion fruits before starting this recipe as they can sometimes be quite tangy. If that's the case, you can discard the lemon juice and/or increase the quantity of sugar.
How to thicken a curd
Once this passionfruit curd has chilled, it should be quite thick - like a spread. There is no need to add anything to make it thicker! If you need to make a super thick curd - if you are gonna use it inside a cake for example - you can add about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the curd.
How to make Passion Fruit Curd
- Photo 1: Place the Passion Fruit Pulp and Lemon Juice in a small heavy bottom saucepan like stainless steel or cast iron (don't use aluminium pan that could react to the acidity of the fruit and create a metallic taste). Turn on medium low heat and bring to a simmer.
- Photo 2: While it is heating up, whisk together the Egg Yolks and Sugar in a separate heat-proof bowl.
- Photo 3: Pour the warm mixture over the Eggs/Sugar and stir well to combine. This step allows to temper the eggs and prevent them from curdling straight away on the stove.
- Photo 4: Place the mixture back in the saucepan on a low heat.
Note that I am making this passion fruit curd recipe directly in the saucepan with a method called "direct heat", instead of in a bowl over a doubler-boiler with a method called "indirect heat". Both methods will work (see FAQs section below).
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- Cook on a very low heat for 2 to 3 minutes to allow for the sugar to melt.
- Photo 5: Slowly add the butter, a little bit at the time. Stir well until all the butter has melted and been incorporated before adding more.
- Photo 6: Continue to cook while continuously stirring for about 10 minutes (more or less depending on the heat and size of saucepan).
- Photo 7: When ready, the curd should have thickened nicely; and it will continue to thicken and set when chilled.
- Transfer into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the curd to avoid the creation of a skin. Place in the fridge to chill and set for at least 2 hours.
The curd can be kept in the bowl and transferred into a jar.
How to know when a curd is done?
There are two methods to check if a curd is properly cooked:
- Check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer. The curd should reach about 82'c / 180'f to be properly cooked.
- Dip the back of a spoon or spatula in the curd, draw a line with a finger (be careful, it will be hot) and tip it down. If the curd looks liquid and runs over the clear line, it's not ready. If the curd looks thick and the line stays clear, it's ready.
Recipe FAQs
Both methods can be used to make curds. The "direct heat" method makes you cook the curd directly inside the saucepan on a very low heat. It is the quickest method, but you risk overcooking the curd and the eggs. The "indirect heat" method requires you to cook the curd in a heat-proof bowl over a double-boiler. It takes much longer to thicken, but you avoid the risk of burning the curd.
You can use both fresh and frozen passion fruit pulp (thawed) for this recipe. This contains both the seeds, liquid and flesh of the passion fruit. If you want to use canned passion fruit, you want to use one that does not contain added sugar - or the least possible (adjust the sugar quantity if required).
If using passion fruit canned with syrup, you will need to drain the syrup to remove most of the liquid and heavily reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe.
It is possible to make a curd without egg, using a thickener such as cornstarch or tapioca starch but I have personally never tried it.
There are SO many delicious ways to use this curd: with scones, over toasts or bagels, to fill mini tart shells, as a topping for meringues nests or pavlovas, spread over muffins, pancakes, waffles, or brioche french toasts, as a filling for macarons or a layer cake, served over these Passion Fruit Mousse or even as a passion fruit cheesecake or Passion Fruit Tart topping!
Tips & Troubleshooting
- The curd has a metallic taste: this happens when you cook your curd in an aluminum saucepan that reacts to the acidity of the fruit. Make sure to use stainless steel (or glazed cast iron) to make curds.
- The curd is too liquid: it is probably not cooked enough yet. Making curd can be a long process because we are working with a very low heat - but keep whisking until it thickens! Also note that the curd will continue to thicken while it sets in the fridge.
- The curd is too thick: this usually happens if you overcook the curd, or use too much egg yolks. You can try to mix in a little bit of extra passion fruit juice, passion fruit puree or pulp to thin it out.
- It is not thickening: again, making curds can take quite some times because we are working with a low heat. If after 15 to 20 minutes to curd has not thickened, you might want to consider adding a little bit of cornstarch. This could be because your egg yolks were too small.
- I have bits of cooked eggs in my curd: this might happen if the heat is too high and the curd starts to boil. The curd should only ever go as high as a simmer. You can pour the curd through a fine mesh sieve or strainer to remove the cooked eggs - but you will also loose the seeds in the process.
Storing & Freezing
Passion fruit curd should be stored in the fridge, either in a bowl covered with plastic wrap touching its surface or in a sealed jar. Although it will technically last for longer, I recommend eating it within a week for the best flavour and freshness.
Curds can be frozen, but I don't personally recommend it as it creates an odd texture when thawed.
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Recipe
Passion Fruit Curd
Ingredients
- 150 gr (5,5 oz) Passion Fruit Pulp - fresh or frozen - see note 1
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) Lemon Juice
- 4 Egg Yolks - medium size, at room temperature
- 50 gr (1/4 cup) Caster Sugar
- 75 gr (5 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter
Disclaimer
I highly recommend using the measurements in grams & ml (instead of cups & spoons) for more accuracy and better results.
Instructions
- Place the Passion Fruit Pulp and Lemon Juice in a small heavy bottom saucepan (See note 2). Turn on medium low heat and bring to a simmer.
- While it is heating up, whisk together the Egg Yolks and Sugar in a separate heat-proof bowl.
- Pour the warm mixture over the Eggs/Sugar and stir well to combine, then pour it all back in the saucepan and turn on low heat (see note 3).
- Cook on a very low heat for 2 to 3 minutes to allow for the sugar to melt, then slowly add the butter, a little bit at the time. Stir well until all the butter has melted and been incorporated before adding more.
- Continue to cook while continuously stirring for about 10 minutes (more or less depending on the heat and size of saucepan) - or until the curd has thickened (see note 4 for tips on checking if the curd is done).
- Transfer into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the curd to avoid the creation of a skin. Place in the fridge to chill and set for at least 2 hours. Keep in the bowl or transfer in a jar.
Tried this recipe? Make sure to leave a comment and star rating below!
Notes
-
You can use both fresh and frozen passion fruit pulp (thawed) for this recipe. This contains both the seeds, liquid and flesh of the passion fruit. If you want to use canned passion fruit, you want to use one that does not contain added sugar - or the least possible (adjust the sugar quantity if required).
If using passion fruit canned with syrup, you will need to drain the syrup to remove most of the liquid and heavily reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. - Don't use aluminium saucepan that could react to the acidity of the fruit and create a metallic taste - try to use for a stainless steel or glazed cast iron saucepan.
- I am making this passion fruit curd recipe directly in the saucepan with a method called "direct heat", instead of in a bowl over a doubler-boiler with a method called "indirect heat". Both methods will work (see FAQs section above for more info on the two methods).
- There are two methods to check if a curd is properly cooked:
- Check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer - it should reach 82'c / 180'f to be properly cooked.
- Dip the back of a spoon or spatula in the curd, draw a line with a finger (be careful, it will be hot) and tip it down. If the curd looks liquid and runs over the clear line, it's not ready. If the curd looks thick and the line stays clear, it's ready.
