Lemon curd is a well known dessert custard, often accompanying scones and in lemon meringue pies, however there are many delicious variations of this delicious treat. Apricot curd offers a versatile, summery & tangy accent to your next dessert recipes.
This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. For additional information, please view the site Disclaimers here.
Basic ingredients for a traditional curd include are egg yolks, sugar, lemon, and fruit puree. This soft, smooth, flavorful spread is created by slowly and gently cooked together these ingredients. Purchasing commercially made curds exposes you to artificial preservatives and additive thickeners. While it may seem intimidating, cooking apricot or lemon curd is not difficult, only takes some time and attention.
A perfect companion to tarts, scones, and crumpets, curds are a creamy and delicious companion to elevate your next dish. Dating back as far as the 1800’s, this creamy custard like confection can be creates from a variety of fruits, including lemon, grapefruit, mango and of course, apricot.
While it may be intimidating to create an apricot curd, having the right kitchen equipment and an easy to follow recipe, making apricot curd really can be simple. Items to have to make this easier include a good double boiler, an immersion blender, and jam/candy thermometer. These can be worked around if you do not have these items at your disposal, they do however truly make the process easier and more enjoyable.
Reconstituting Dried Apricots
Fresh apricots are not always easy to find in all seasons of the year. Using dried apricots can make this more affordable and a recipe that can be enjoyed year round. Reconstituting dried apricots is easy!
To reconstitute apricots, soak apricots in water overnight in the refrigerator. Cover them with enough water to be about 1 inch above the fruit. It is truly amazing, they transform overnight into apricots that looked just picked from the vine! Saving the water they have soaked in overnight to boil them in helps to ensure maximum flavor.
Apricot Curd Recipe
Apricot Curd
Ingredients
- 1/2 Pound Dried Apricots Reconstituted
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 4 TBSP Butter
- 2 Lemons Juiced
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
Instructions
- To reconstitute the apricots, soak apricots in water overnight in the refrigerator. Cover them with enough water to be about 1 inch above the fruit.
- Boil the reconstituted apricots in the water they were soaked in overnight. Continue to cook for about 30 minutes until soft. Ensure to continue to add water if needed to prevent burning the fruit.
- Once the apricots are softened and lose their form, remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender to a cream consistency.
- In a double-boiler melt butter. If you do not have a double-boiler, place a heat safe bowl over a pan of simmering water.
- While this melts, beat the eggs. Add the sugar, lemon juice, beaten eggs and apricots to the melted butter and stir frequently.
- Add another egg yolk if the consistency does not begin to form a custard like consistency.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes or until thickened.
- Once thickened until the curd clings to the back of the spoon and about 160 degrees, remove from heat and pour into a sterilized, air tight container.
- Refrigerate until chilled. Enjoy within a week, being without preservatives.
Tips for Success
The quality of your curd is dependent really on your attention to detail. Select quality ingredients, don’t cheap out on your butter and eggs. Be certain to closely monitor the apricots while cooking, adding small amounts of water to ensure that they do not stick or burn. Equally important is to stir constantly while cooking the curd to ensure a smooth custard.
The use of whole eggs in addition to the yolks helps to create a lighter custard-like consistency to the curd. This however creates a risk of small bits of curdled egg whites in the final product. To avoid this, remove a small amount of the hot apricot puree and add the whole eggs to this one at a time and whisk well. Add this mixture back to the pot and mix well. Do not be lazy with constantly stirring the mixture while cooking to prevent a curdled outcome.
As with so many recipes, once you learn the steps to create the dish and give it a try, it is not as difficult as you thought. Once you learn to make a simple curd, you will want to experiment with other fruits! Elevate breakfast with this delicious curd atop crumpets, scones, and muffins!
[…] Make It | Pin It […]