Homemade Blood Orange Curd

Use up that citrus crop with this easy Blood Orange Curd with Cardamom. Perfect when drizzled on toast, scones, pancakes, cookies and even cake.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, there are so many dessert options out there to share with your sweetie. Chocolate usually comes to mind, like my Bailey’s chocolate mousse!

Then there are truffles and rum raisin fudge to consider. But why not try something equally decadent but more on the fruity spectrum?

You don’t have to shower your “loved ones” with so much sugar or chocolate. So, I offer you a touch of sweet, because that is all you really need.

Why you this recipe is so fabulous

Fruit curds are a a wonderful spread when you don’t want to use jams or jellies. They are made with egg yolks, sugar and butter. When you think of fruit curd, usually lemon curd comes to mind.

I’ve made an olive oil lemon curd and a pumpkin curd. For Valentine’s Day, I found inspiration with the always dramatic, blood orange. These blood oranges were mildly sweet and only required about a half a cup of sugar.

Curd is very easy to make and can be used a number of different ways. Use your orange curd to top your bread, scones, tarts, cookie or cake. I used the blood orange curd to top my white rose cake, minus the roses.

Ingredients you need

• Egg yolks: The entire egg is not needed to make fruit curd, only the yolks. You can use the egg whites for a healthy omelette or to make a pavlova (meringue).
• Blood oranges: Both the juice and the zest is used to make this curd. You can also use regular oranges.
• Unsalted butter
• Sugar
• Ground cardamom: Cardamom has a wonderful aroma and flavor to it. Only a little is needed for this curd, but you can omit it altogether if you prefer.

Step-by-step directions

1. In a small saucepan whisk egg yolks, sugar, cardamom, blood orange juice and zest until well combined. Continue whisking with the saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until mixture thickens and can coat the back of a spoon, about 5-10 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and add butter one tablespoon at a time. Whisk until each tablespoon has melted and combined thoroughly before dropping in the next tablespoon.

3. Transfer mixture into a bowl and cover surface with a sheet of parchment paper to prevent skin from forming over the top. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

Recipe tips and FAQs

Fruit curds have come a long way since the 1800s of jolly old England. Today, they are enjoyed all over the world in all kinds of colors and flavors. This blood orange curd is just another variation that makes life more delicious.

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.

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