Best Berry Curd Recipes

MIXED-BERRY TIRAMISù WITH LIME CURD

Steps:

• For berries:
• Combine blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, powdered sugar, and 1/2 cup water in large saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until berries are soft but still intact, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to large bowl; stir in lime juice. Cool to room temperature. Stir strawberries into berry mixture. Chill until cold, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
• For syrup and ladyfinger layer:
• Combine 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, and lime peel strips in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour syrup into bowl. Cool to room temperature; discard lime peel.
• Using pastry brush, brush ladyfingers on both sides with syrup. Arrange in single layer in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish, cutting to fit and covering bottom of dish completely. Pour chilled berry mixture over.
• For mascarpone topping:
• Combine mascarpone and cream in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth and slightly thickened (do not overbeat or mixture may curdle). Add Lime Curd; beat just until blended. Drop mascarpone topping by large spoonfuls over berry mixture. Spread evenly, covering berries completely. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Spoon tiramisù into bowls and serve.
• Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.
• ** An Italian cream cheese; sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.

LEMON CURD TART WITH SUMMER BERRIES AND BERRY COULIS-WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the tart shells:
• Combine the flour, butter and salt in a food processor and pulse until the butter is pea-size. Add the water and pulse just until the dough gathers together.
• Take the dough out and place on a lightly floured work surface. Work gently into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until well-chilled, about 1 hour.
• Take the dough out of the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each out into a circle to about 1/8-inch thickness, keeping the dough well-floured as you work. Then place each in its own tart mold and trim excess dough.
• Bake for 10 to12 minutes or until tart shells are lightly brown. Remove from molds and refrigerate tart shells while preparing the lemon curd.
• For the curd:
• In large bowl set over double boiler, place eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt over simmering water. Whisk well. Add butter in pieces and stir over medium heat, being careful not to boil, until it is thickened or coats the back of a spoon. Cool.
• For the coulis:
• In a medium saucepan simmer berries, water and sugar for 10 minutes. Press through a fine mesh strainer and puree in a blender or food processor. Set aside some coulis for whipped cream, some for berries, and some for plating.
• To serve:
• Fill tart shells nearly full with chilled lemon curd and place on an oval plate. Toss fresh berries in coulis and place on tart and directly on the plate. Place coulis artfully next to tart and berries. Whip the cream, adding sugar and coulis to it, then place a dollop on each tart top. Bon Appetit!

LEMON CURD AND BERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• To make the lemon curd: Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a metal or glass heat-resistant bowl and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl over the simmering water, without letting the bottom touch, and continue to whisk. Keep working-out that arm and whisk it vigorously for a good 10 minutes, until the curd has doubled in volume and is very thick and yellow. Don't let it boil. Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the butter, a couple of chunks at a time, until melted. Refrigerate until the custard is cold and firm.
• To build the trifle: put the berries in a mixing bowl and toss them together so they are evenly distributed. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled lemon curd to lighten it up into a mousse. Line a glass trifle bowl with pieces of pound cake to fit. Drizzle or brush the cake with the Lemoncello, spoon a layer of the lemon curd over the cake, and then a layer of mixed berries. Repeat the layers until the ingredients are used up, the last layer looks best if it's the berries.

BERRY CURD

Steps:

• Place strawberries and raspberries in a blender; cover and process until almost smooth. Press through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl; reserve 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon juice. Discard seeds. , In a small heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks and berry puree until blended. Add butter; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 170°. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat immediately; stir in vanilla., Transfer to a bowl; cool. Press plastic wrap onto surface of curd; refrigerate until cold. Serve or transfer to covered jars and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

SUMMER BERRY CROSTATA WITH LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Place oven rack in lowest position, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place large pizza stone on rack, and heat 1 hour while preparing other ingredients. Cut 6 sheets of aluminum foil, each one 8 inches square, and set aside.
• Make the crust: Combine flours, sugar and salt in food processor, and pulse to combine. Remove lid, scatter butter over surface of flour and pulse until butter pieces are no longer visible, 10 pulses of 10 seconds or so each. Turn mixture into mixing bowl, and sprinkle with 4 tablespoons ice water. Toss lightly with fingertips. Gather dough together, and squeeze a small portion with fingers. If dough feels dry, add another tablespoon water, and toss to combine. Turn dough onto work surface, press together firmly and pat into round disk. Cut into 6 wedges. Roll each wedge into a ball, flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours.
• Make the curd: Place small, conical stainless-steel strainer over 2-cup glass measuring cup, and set aside. In small, heavy nonreactive saucepan, whisk egg, yolks and sugar together. Add lemon juice, and whisk to combine. Add zest, butter and salt. Place pan over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture is shiny, opaque and thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat, and stir in cream. Strain immediately into glass measuring cup, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the blueberry filling: Place half the blueberries in medium saucepan. Add cornstarch and sugar, and stir well. Add lemon juice and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until blueberries give up juices, thicken and simmer a bit. Compote will be very thick. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining blueberries. Cool.
• Assemble the crostata: Working 1 piece of dough at a time, flour top and bottom lightly, and roll into thin 8-inch round. Transfer round to a square of foil. Spoon 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of desired filling in center, leaving 2-inch periphery free. Mound fruit in a circle. (Be sure to use all the filling in the 6 crostatas.) Fold dough over to support filling. Place crostata on sheet pan in refrigerator, and continue forming tarts with remaining dough pieces and fruit filling. Refrigerate all 6 crostatas at least 20 minutes.
• Slide 2 or 3 crostatas onto baking stone. Bake until dough is dark golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove, and cool 10 minutes on rack. Repeat with remaining crostatas. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, or add a dollop of whipped cream or a few tablespoons of chilled heavy cream. Serve.

MIXED-BERRY TIRAMISù WITH LIME CURD

Steps:

• PreparationFor berries: Combine blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, powdered sugar, and 1/2 cup water in large saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until berries are soft but still intact, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to large bowl; stir in lime juice. Cool to room temperature. Stir strawberries into berry mixture. Chill until cold, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled. For syrup and ladyfinger layer: Combine 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, and lime peel strips in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour syrup into bowl. Cool to room temperature; discard lime peel. Using pastry brush, brush ladyfingers on both sides with syrup. Arrange in single layer in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish, cutting to fit and covering bottom of dish completely. Pour chilled berry mixture over. For mascarpone topping: Combine mascarpone and cream in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth and slightly thickened (do not overbeat or mixture may curdle). Add Lime Curd; beat just until blended. Drop mascarpone topping by large spoonfuls over berry mixture. Spread evenly, covering berries completely. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Spoon tiramisù into bowls and serve. Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets. ** An Italian cream cheese; sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.

BERRY NAPOLEON WITH LEMON CURD

Steps:

• FOR THE PASTRY: Make a well in the flour. Add the cornstarch. Cut the butter in 1 1/2 Tablespoon chunks. Add the salt. Mash the butter into the flour with your fingers until the particles of butter are the size of whole macadamia nuts.
• Mix in the ice water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, introducing it with your fingertips. Press the small balls of dough that will form into a large one. With the heel of your hand, lightly push the ball of dough forward into large pieces and then gather it into a ball. Shape into a rectangle 6 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 inches. Refrigerate for 1 hour, preferably in the vegetable crisper.
• Roll the dough 6 inches away from you and then 6 inches toward you, keeping it 6 1/2 inches wide and never less that 1/3 inch thick. Do not bear down on the dough. Roll it out parallel to the countertop in 1 or 2 strokes. If the dough becomes wider than 6 1/2 inches, block it on each side by place the rolling pin parallel to the edge of the dough and tapping it gently toward the dough. The dough edge will straighten. Fold the dough in 3 folds. Turn the dough 90 degrees so it looks like a book ready to be opened.
• With a bit of pressure applied with the rolling pin at the top and bottom seams, pinch the layers of dough slightly to prevent the butter from escaping later. Roll out the dough again and fold it a second time, exactly as described above.
• You will have given it two turns. If the package of dough is less than 6 inches wide, tap it gently with the rolling pin to flatten it. To keep track of the turns, punch small depressions on the surface of the dough with your fingertips.
• Put the dough on a lightly floured plate. Cover it loosely with a sheet of Saran Wrap (plastic wrap) and put it to cool in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator. The dough should rest for at least 1 hour.
• Finish the dough by giving it two more series of two turns, exactly as described above. Rest the dough for 30 minutes between each series of turns. After turns 3 and 4, punch 4 small depressions on the surface of the dough; after turns 5 and 6, trace an X. That will remind you that the pastry is finished and may be used anytime.
• Roll out after chilling deeply for 1 to 2 hours and cut in the shape that you desire.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut the puff pastry in half. Roll each half into 2 sheets, each 1/8 inch thick and as wide and long as you can make it. Bake between 2 black baking sheets for 15 minutes until brown.
• Cool and cut into rectangles 1 inch by 3 inches.
• TO PREPARE THE LEMON CURD: Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in an electric mixer until extremely thick. The mixture should form a heavy ribbon. Transfer to a large saucepan. Gradually add the lemon juice as you beat over VERY LOW HEAT, until the curd thickens heavily. Add all the rinds and gradually the melted butter, and cool completely.
• TO BUILD THE NAPOLEONS: Put the lemon curd into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/3 inch wide, round plain nozzle. Cover 1 rectangle of pastry with an even layer of curd. Top that layer with a second rectangle of pastry. Cover that second rectangle with curd and top with a third rectangle of pastry. Powder each napoleon with confectioner's sugar.
• Thaw the raspberries. Remove half of their syrup. Blend to a puree in the blender and strain to discard all seeds. To serve, put one napoleon on a desert plate and surround with raspberry puree. This recipe will make 8 to 10 beautiful napoleons.
• VARIATION: Fresh Berry Napoleons: Instead of using just lemon curd, try the following idea. Pipe the lemon curd between the layers, as in the recipe, but add strawberries on the first layer, blueberries on the second, and raspberries on the third. Do not serve with the raspberry sauce; the berries will make their own sauce as you eat the napoleons.
• Madeleine Cooks.
• If you cannot find Meyer lemons, you can substitute Eureka or Lisbon lemons.
• Meyer lemon is a hybrid, a cross between a regular lemon and either an orange or a mandarin. They're sometimes smaller than a regular lemon, rounder in shape, with a thin, soft, and smooth rind which ranges from greenish when slightly immature to a rich yellow-orange when fully ripe. The rind lacks the typical lemon peel oil aroma and the pulp is darker yellow and less acidic than a regular lemon. The complex flavor and aroma hints of sweet lime, lemon and mandarin.
• Use it for most purposes as you would a regular lemon. It's perfect for a soufflé or lemon tart and, because it's sweeter than a regular lemon, makes good lemonade requiring less sugar. On the other hand, when you want a more acidic lemon taste, as in a vinaigrette or marinade, you're probably better off using a regular lemon.