Orange Curd

It’s citrus season, and homemade Orange Curd is the perfect way to showcase fresh oranges as a breakfast spread! All you need are a handful of ingredients to make this luscious, creamy curd recipe that showcases the natural sweetness of oranges.

Up until last week, I’d never made a curd before, and honestly, I was intimidated. If you’re anything like me, you might put off trying new techniques because you’re convinced something will go horribly wrong.

Well, last week something I did know how to make (king cake dough) went disastrously wrong… and this brand-new orange curd recipe recipe turned out perfectly.

So let it be known: taking cooking risks can sometimes lead to flops, but other times, you’ll discover a hidden gem.

This Orange Curd recipe is a gem.

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We’re in peak orange season, and our CSA delivered a behemoth bag of citrus.

Instead of making the world’s largest pitcher of orange juice, I decided to try something new.

And now that I’ve conquered my fear of making a curd, I bet this recipe would be delightful when made with any seasonal fruit.

Why I love this recipe:

This curd is bright, slightly tart with some sweetness, has a silky texture and is delightful to spread on most anything… or simply eaten straight from the jar with a spoon. (As always, there is no judgment here.)

It’s like the more mysterious (and possibly more sophisticated) cousin of the lemon curd we all know and love.

Spoon this easy orange curd recipe on top of classic breakfast recipes, like Old Fashioned Pancakes, Buttermilk Waffles, yogurt, toast, scones or biscuits.

You could also easily spoon this on top of desserts, like cheesecakes or ice cream. And you can use this recipe as a cake filling, too, or swap it for the lemon curd in this Sweet Strawberry Bruschetta.

No matter how you serve it, you’re in for a treat!

What you need to make this recipe:

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• Large mixing bowl
• An electric mixer, like a hand mixer or a stand mixer
• Measuring cups and spoons and/or a kitchen scale
• Liquid measuring cup
• Citrus juicer
• Zester
• Saucepan
• Fine mesh sieve or strainer

Here are the simple ingredients that you need to grab from the store:

• Unsalted butter — use your favorite brand. I prefer to use unsalted butter, but you can use salted if necessary. Skip the pinch of salt if you do.
• Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this gives our curd the sweetness it needs. I do not recommend substituting it with brown sugar or a superfine sugar.
• Egg yolks — from large eggs from the store. I separate them myself and save the egg yolks to make an omelet later. You can also use the leftover egg whites to whip into homemade souffles.
• Orange juice — I squeezed mine fresh! You can use type of orange you have on hand. I personally like to zest the orange and then squeeze it for the juice!
• Orange zest — this adds bonus orange flavor and a pop of acidity. I do not recommend skipping it.
• Salt — you just need a pinch of kosher salt to bring it all together!

Types of oranges to use in this curd:

The world is your oyster, my friend. From navel oranges, cara cara oranges to clementines and mandarins, I will venture to say that any oranges should work.

You can even use blood oranges. However, be prepared for the color to be more intensely orange-red if you use those.

How to make this homemade Orange Curd recipe:

Mise en place. Zest the orange, then juice it. (Measure that out and juice another if you need more juice.) Separate the egg yolks from the whites, and set those aside. Make sure the butter is softened.

Cream the butter and sugar. Measure the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl. Use a hand or stand mixer to cream them together. This will take 2-3 minutes.

Add the egg yolks next. Add each individually as the mixer runs, letting them blend together until all the yolks are incorporated.

Pour in the orange juice, and stir until smooth.

Cook the curd. Heat a large saucepan over low heat. Pour the curd mixture into the pot, stirring constantly with a whisk or a rubber spatula. Cook until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Do not bring to a boil — you want this to simmer and thicken.

Remove the saucepan from the heat when the mixture has thickened, and stir in the orange zest and a pinch of salt.

Transfer the curd to a bowl or a mason jar, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Enjoy on so many things for breakfast or dessert.

Here’s how I made it and how you can make it in your home, too…