This easy Orange Curd recipe is made with 4 ingredients only and will be ready in less than 30 minutes. It is the perfect orange cream to serve over scones, pancakes or waffles, to use as a cake filling, dessert topping like ice cream or mixed with granola or yogurt.
50gr (1/4 cup)Caster Sugaror fine white granulated sugar
125ml (1/2 cup)Orange Juice about 2 to 3 large oranges
2Orange Zest
75gr (5 tablesp.)Unsalted Butterat room temperature
Optional
1tablesp.Cornstarch
1tablesp.Lemon Juice
Instructions
Cut the Butter into small cubes and set aside. Zest the Oranges then juice them.
Place the Orange Juice, Zest (and optionally lemon juice), Egg Yolks and Sugar in a small saucepan and whisk to combine (see note 1 if adding cornstarch). Place on low heat and keep stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid starts to slightly thicken.
Add the small cubes of Butter a little bit at the time, stirring until completely melted and combined before adding more (see note 2).
When all the butter has been incorporated, continue to cook on low heat for 5 to 15 minutes (see note 3) or until slightly thick (the curd will finish thickening when chilled).
Remove from the heat and leave to cool down at room temperature. Transfer to a clean jar and place in the fridge to set for at least two hours, or preferably overnight.
Notes
General Disclaimer: I recommend using the measurements in grams/ml (instead of cups/spoons) for more accuracy and a better result.Ingredient Notes:
Orange: make sure to measure the orange juice instead of relying on the number of oranges for more accuracy. It should be about two large oranges for the juice, as well as the zest of two oranges.
Sugar: this recipe is relatively low in sugar as the oranges are naturally quite sweet. If you are after a sweeter curd, you can absolutely increase the quantity of sugar. I recommend tasting the oranges first; if they don't see quite sweet, increase the sugar slightly.
Cornstarch: this recipe makes more of a thin than thick curd. For a thicker curd, either add one egg yolk, or use cornstarch.
Lemon Juice: I like to substitute one tablespoon / 15 ml of orange juice with lemon juice to add a little bit of acidity to the curd.
Instruction Notes:
If you are adding cornstarch, whisk it with the rest of the ingredients first before turning on the heat (cornstarch tends to get lumpy if added straight to a warm liquid). It will start to thicken much more quickly with the cornstarch. Has soon as the sugar has dissolved, start adding the butter. Once the butter has been added, cook for about 2 to 3 minutes (or until you see a small simmer) then remove from the heat.
At this point, I recommend tasting the curd and adjusting the sweetness to your liking by adding more sugar if needed, or a little bit more lemon juice if too sweet.
The time it takes to cook will depend on the temperature of your stove. To know the orange curd is ready, either use a food thermometer (the curd is cooked when it reaches 82'C/180'F) or coat the back of a spoon with the curd. Draw a line in the curd with your finger and tip it down. If the liquid drips back over the clear line, the curd needs to cook for longer. If it stays clear, it is ready.