Name: Orange Curd
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 2 oranges, zested; 120 g caster sugar; 120 ml fresh orange juice; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 4 egg yolks; 1 egg; 85 g cold butter, cubed; 1 pinch salt

Orange Curd

A bright, tangy spread of orange juice, zest, eggs and butter, cooked gently for 12 minutes until thick and strained.

22 min total Serves 12 servings Easy

Why This Is Worth Making

Lemon curd gets all the attention, but orange curd is gentler, sweeter and more aromatic, and its fragrance fills the kitchen as it cooks. It is spread on toast, sandwiched between cake layers, spooned over yogurt or swirled into ice cream. A jar made at home keeps for two weeks in the fridge and is gone sooner.

Orange juice is less acidic than lemon, so the curd needs a little help to taste properly sharp. A tablespoon of lemon juice balances the sweetness and also helps the curd set. Zest two oranges directly into the sugar and rub them together with your fingers, which spreads the oil from the peel through the sugar crystals and dissolves it into the curd. The zest is where the true orange flavour is.

Cook it over very low heat and stir constantly. Egg yolks scramble at around 85°C / 185°F, so the curd should never come near a simmer. Use a heavy-based pan or a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, and stir with a spatula, scraping the bottom and corners. It is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and leaves a clear line when you draw a finger through it.

Strain through a fine sieve to remove the zest and any scrambled bits, then whisk in the cold butter, a cube at a time, for a glossy finish. Press cling film on the surface to prevent a skin and chill to thicken.

Build the Meal Around Orange Curd

Scones
Greek yogurt
Toast
Pound cake

How to Make Orange Curd

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Rub the zest into the sugar in a heavy pan. Whisk in the orange juice, lemon juice, egg yolks, egg and salt.
Cook over very low heat for 12 minutes, stirring constantly, until the curd coats the back of a spoon.
Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl.
Whisk in the cold butter a cube at a time until glossy.
Press cling film onto the surface and chill until thick.

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Notes From the Method

Keep the heat very low.

Stir constantly and scrape the corners.

Strain for a perfectly smooth finish.

Storing and Reheating

Keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks in a clean jar.

Nutrition per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

136Calories

2gProtein

14gCarbs

8gFat

1gFibre

13gSugar

20mgSodium

Vegetarian Gluten-Free Low-Carb

Orange Curd

Build the Meal Around Orange Curd

How to Make Orange Curd

Notes From the Method

Storing and Reheating

Nutrition per Serving

Your notes on this recipe

Cooked this? Keep a note for next time

Build the Meal Around Orange Curd

How to Make Orange Curd

Notes From the Method

Storing and Reheating

Nutrition per Serving

Your notes on this recipe

Cooked this? Keep a note for next time

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