Orange Curd Recipe - Creamy & Delicious! (2024)

By: Author Mary (The Goodie Godmother)

Posted on - Last updated:

Categories Desserts and Sweets, Sauces and Condiments

Jump to Recipe

Creamy orange curd is easy to make at home! This easy to follow orange curd recipe works with any orange (even blood oranges), and makes a delicious treat. Use orange curd as a filling for cakes, spread for scones, in a tart, or topping for fresh fruit.

Orange Curd Recipe - Creamy & Delicious! (1)

I heard a radio DJ yesterday listing off four or five words that women hate to hear in conversation. I agreed with a few, because they’re just awkward words to used outside of very specific situations, but curd was on the list and I’m not sure why. Do people use the word curd outside of describing foods like cheese curd, lemon curd, lime curd, and the topic of today’s post – orange curd?

How would you even do that? There was no mention of curdle the verb, just curd, the noun. I just don’t understand how this could make the list. How often do you use “curd” in conversation? I’ve spent way too much time wondering about this.

Orange Curd Recipe - Creamy & Delicious! (2)

I promise you’ll really like the word curd when it refers to my orange curd recipe though. Orange curd is delicious! It’s so creamy, with just the perfect hint of orange and vanilla. It’s reminiscent of an orange creamsicle, only more grown up. You could use it as an alternative filling in my Key Lime Tart , serve it with scones for tea, or use it as filling for my Orange Cake from Scratch!

Orange curd doesn’t have quite the same citrus “bite” as lemon or lime curd, so this is a really good option if you don’t really like the citrus pucker but you’d still like something fruity and fresh. Use whatever oranges you have on hand.

Orange Curd Recipe - Creamy & Delicious! (3)

I’ve used navel oranges, Cara Cara oranges, whatever variety I happen to have on hand. You may use blood oranges as well to make blood orange curd. This orange curd recipe works for any of the usual orange varieties.

I will note that you don’t really get an orange color out of orange curd. It’s very pale. The same goes for blood orange curd unless your oranges are particularly pigmented. If you really want more of an “orange” color, feel free to drop a drop or two of gel food coloring in there. If you don’t, you’ll get the color shown in the photos.

Orange Curd Recipe - Creamy & Delicious! (4)

It takes just a few minutes to make orange curd on the stove top, and you can keep it a week or so in the fridge. Freeze up to 3 months. I hope you enjoy this easy orange curd recipe, darlings!

Orange Curd Recipe - Creamy & Delicious! (5)

Orange Curd Recipe

Yield: about 2 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Chilling Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This easy to follow orange curd recipe works with any orange (even blood oranges), and makes a delicious treat. Use orange curd as a filling for cakes, spread for scones, in a tart, or topping for fresh fruit.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest (yield from 1 orange)
  • 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 8 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoons

Instructions

  1. In the top portion of a double boiler, or a large heat-proof mixing bowl, whisk together your sugar, eggs, egg yolk, zest, orange juice, and lemon juice.
  2. Set your bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, or place the top section of your double boiler into the bottom, set over medium low heat.
  3. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles the consistency of homemade mayonnaise or aioli. If you are using a thermometer, you will cook to 170 F.
  4. Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the butter.
  5. Strain the curd through a fine mesh strainer into another bowl or storage container. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes at room temperature, then press a piece of plastic wrap across the top and refrigerate at least one hour to firm up a bit.
  6. Store in the refrigerator up to one week, or frozen up to 3 months. Enjoy!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Did this recipe inspire you?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Orange Curd Recipe - Creamy & Delicious! (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between marmalade and orange curd? ›

Those delicious chunks in marmalade have been simmered with sugar until they're all but candied, whereas curd making is a very different process, which means that it's better to finely grate the perfumed zest, leaving out the spongey pith entirely.

Why didn't my orange curd set? ›

If the filling is runny and flowing out of the tart when you cut into it, then it is likely that the curd was not cooked for quite long enough. You need to be patient when cooking citrus curds as if you heat the mixture too quickly then it can curdle and become lumpy. You need to keep a low heat and stir constatntly.

What is orange curd made of? ›

Orange Curd is also called Orange Butter and is a delicious spread made of orange juice, sugar, butter and eggs. I love making fruit curd as it's such a great way of using up fruit and preserving it beyond making a jam or marmalade.

What to do if orange curd is too runny? ›

Curd too runny once cold? If when completely cold your Orange Curd (or any other curd) is too runny then it was not cooked enough. You can remedy this by removing it from the jars and gently cooking again.

Why is my orange curd grainy? ›

Don't let the curd boil.

Boiling curd will cause it to curdle and create a grainy texture. If the orange curd curdles, strain it twice through a fine-mesh strainer, to remove the grainy bits. If that doesn't work, process it in a blender to try and smooth it out.

Why is it called Marmelade? ›

Most historians agree, however, that the name marmalade comes from the Portuguese word for quince, or marmelo, which was once a major ingredient, but over time Seville oranges replaced quince. Marmalade recipes date back to the 1500s, and it remains popular today in many parts of the world.

How many hours does it take for curd to set? ›

While in a warm climate, the curd will take around 4 to 7 hours, while it will take a bit longer in winters. In a cool climate it can easily take around 8 to 10 hours. Make sure the temperature of the milk before setting the curd is warm enough during winters, otherwise the curd won't set properly.

Why is my curd always sour? ›

Why is the curd so sour? The sour taste in curd (also known as yogurt) is primarily due to the fermentation process involving lactic acid bacteria.

How long does it take for curd to set in summer? ›

In a warm, hot and humid climate, the time taken for the curd to set will be 4 to 7 hours. Whereas in a cool or cold climate, the time taken can be 8 to 12 hours.

Is orange with curd good for health? ›

Combining dairy based products with citrus fruits or juice may trigger indigestion or heartburn, this is because the acidity of oranges may curdle up the proteins in milk, leading to an upset stomach or bloating.

Why isn t my orange curd thickening? ›

The curd isn't thickening. This has both eggs and starch in it and over medium heat will thicken, given the enough time. Be patient and keep watch over it – never walk away from a cooking curd for more than 30 seconds or it will over cook. This happens when the curd is overcooked, bits of the egg turn white.

Can we mix orange and curd together? ›

“Fruits, especially citrus fruits such as strawberries, grapes, oranges, amla, etc, should not be taken with milk or yoghurt. This is because this combination can lead to gastritis and a host of other gut health issues,” she said.

How do you make curd thicker? ›

More times than not the, curd just needs to be cooked longer in order for the egg proteins to set. If your curd has been cooked to 170 degrees and it still hasn't thickened, then make a slurry by whisking 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.

What happens if you overcook curd? ›

Overcooking will cause proteins to bond too tightly, squeezing water out from between them and giving them a rubbery, lumpy texture. If you over-heat the lemon curd, the egg proteins can coagulate and you will see little bits of cooked egg.

Why is my curd not setting? ›

If the milk does not set well, try again with fresh milk in different ways by increasing the culture, keeping it in a warmer place, adding your culture to warmer milk. Making good curd at home comes by experimenting & experience.

What's the difference between jam marmalade and curd? ›

What is the difference between curd and jam? Fruit curds are distinctly different from jams, since curds are made by cooking down fruit juice with sugar rather than the whole fruit. The result is a creamier spread.

What's the difference between a curd and a jam? ›

What is the difference between curd and jam? Fruit curds are distinctly different because they're made by cooking down just fruit juice with sugar, rather than the whole fruit. The result is a creamier spread.

Is marmalade the same as orange jam? ›

Marmalades contain the peel of the fruit as opposed to the whole fruit which jam is made from. Is marmalade just orange jam? No, orange jams use the entire fruit by crushing, pureeing and cooking, whereas marmalades consist of the citrus peel, (not the whole fruit).

What is a substitute for orange marmalade? ›

Apricot jam: Apricot jam has a sweet and slightly tart flavor that can be a good alternative, although it lacks the distinct bitterness of marmalade. 3. Lemon curd: Lemon curd is a creamy, lemon-flavored spread that can be used on toast, scones, or pastries as an alternative to marmalade.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Aracelis Kilback

Last Updated:

Views: 5443

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (44 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Aracelis Kilback

Birthday: 1994-11-22

Address: Apt. 895 30151 Green Plain, Lake Mariela, RI 98141

Phone: +5992291857476

Job: Legal Officer

Hobby: LARPing, role-playing games, Slacklining, Reading, Inline skating, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Dance

Introduction: My name is Aracelis Kilback, I am a nice, gentle, agreeable, joyous, attractive, combative, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.