Gooseberry Curd
Submitted by audreybeattie
Gooseberry curd made with fresh gooseberries, eggs, butter, and sugar cooked to a silky custard. A tart, floral fruit curd for filling tarts, tartlets, or spreading on scones.
YIELD
20 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
30 minREADY
120 minIf you’ve made lemon curd, this follows the same principle but swaps citrus for gooseberries, and the result is something uniquely tart, floral, and slightly wild-tasting. Fresh gooseberries cook down into a puree, then get thickened with eggs and butter into a smooth, spoonable custard.
The gooseberries simmer for about 20 minutes until completely mushy, then get pushed through a food mill or strainer. This step removes all the seeds and skins, leaving behind a smooth puree that’s the foundation of the curd. You want about 1 ¼ cups from a pint of berries.
Tempering the eggs is the critical technique here. Whisk a little of the hot gooseberry mixture into the beaten eggs first to warm them gradually. Dumping cold eggs into hot puree scrambles them instantly. Once tempered, everything returns to the pan and cooks over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and hits 170°F (77°C).
The finished curd fills small tartlets beautifully or spreads into a pre-baked tart shell topped with piped creme Chantilly. It also works on scones, toast, or folded into whipped cream for a quick fool.
Chef Tips
- Use a non-reactive saucepan (stainless steel or enamel). Aluminum reacts with the acid in gooseberries and can create a metallic taste.
- Stir constantly once the eggs are added. The low heat prevents curdling, but only if you keep everything moving.
- The curd thickens more as it chills. Don’t worry if it seems thin when hot. If it coats the back of a spoon, it’s ready.
- Store covered in the fridge for up to a week.
Variations
- Elderflower gooseberry curd: Stir in a tablespoon of elderflower cordial after cooking for a classic English pairing.
- Gooseberry fool: Fold the chilled curd into an equal amount of whipped cream for a quick, elegant dessert.
- Lemon-gooseberry blend: Add the juice and zest of half a lemon to the puree for a sharper citrus edge.
Ingredients
Directions
Rinse the gooseberries and put them in a non-corroding saucepan with the water.
Cover and cook over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until the gooseberries are very mushy.
Purée them through a food mill or a strainer.
You should have about 1¼ cups of puree.
Stir the sugar and butter into the warm purée and heat, stirring constantly.
Whisk the eggs and the egg yolk just until mixed, then whisk in a little of the hot gooseberry mixture to heat the eggs.
Return to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is well thickened, and has reached a temperature of 170 degrees F.
Pour into a container, cover, and chill.
Use this to fill small tartlets, garnishing them with rosettes of creme de Chantilly; or fill a 9-inch pre-baked tart shell with the curd and pipe rosettes of creme Chantilly over the top, leaving a small spot uncovered in the center so the curd will show.
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