Blackberry Curd

Smooth tangy blackberry curd made with whole eggs. Use juicy fresh blackberries for excellent flavor; puree the berries then use the blackberry juice to make a fabulous, easy, quick and silky smooth curd.

Let’s say you went picking and now you’ve got an abundance of blackberries – THIS is what you do with them!

This blackberry curd recipe takes inspiration from my blueberry curd recipe. A major difference for this one is we aren’t going to cook down the berries this time, instead we’re using a fresh puree. Blackberries, when in season tart and flavorful, don’t need the added sharpness of lemon.

We aren’t separating eggs so there will be no need for additional egg yolks to make this. Whole eggs, when used correctly, give the curd the desired thickness of custard.

Breaking down the recipe: puree the berries, strain them, add to eggs and sugar and cook until thick. Then stir in the butter. Voila, it’s done!

Recipe Ingredients

Blackberries: My preference is to use organic fresh blackberries. If the conventional berries are on sale it’s usually an indication they are in season and will be flavorful as well. Could you use frozen blackberries to make this curd? Possibly but you’ll have to do a bit of prep to them beforehand. More on that below.

Sugar: Fine granulated sugar. You might ask if you can reduce the sugar in the recipe but know that it will affect the texture and thickness of the final curd.

Eggs: Whole eggs. No need to bring them to room temperature before you begin.

Butter: The butter should be cold when adding it to the hot curd. It’s fine to use salted butter or unsalted butter, if using unsalted add a pinch of salt to the recipe.

Lemon (optional): I don’t think this curd needs it but if you like an added sharpness to your curds feel free to add a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the curd mixture. Add it to the pot before you start cooking the curd.

How to make blackberry curd

Start by pureeing the berries: set the blackberries in a blender or food processor and blend until they’ve completely broken down.

Sieve the berries to remove bits: Use a fine mesh sieve for this step, it’ll be the barrier between the blackberry juice and the seeds and skins. Now you have a thick blackberry juice/puree and you can proceed to make the curd.

Add the blackberry puree and the sugar to a pot. In a separate bowl crack in the eggs, add the pinch of salt and beat with a fork. Do you best to beat it until all those little white bits break down. They won’t all disappear but we can get rid of them later.

Now add the eggs to the sugar and puree and set over medium-low heat.

Keep an eye on the curd and stir it often, you’re looking for the temperature to reach about 160 F and/or for it to coat the back of a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. It’ll take about 5-10 minutes and it will thicken on the bottom first, stir so that it cooks evenly.

Once thick remove from the heat.

Slice the butter and add it to a bowl. Set a fine mesh sieve over it (I usually rinse and dry mine after the puree step so I’m not dirtying more dishes).

Pour the curd through the sieve and use the back of a spoon to press all of it through. Scrape the bottom of the sieve as well.

Stir the cold butter into the curd until it has all melted and you have a smooth berry mixture.

The curd can now be transferred to a sealed container and stored in the fridge.

How long does homemade blackberry curd last?

In the fridge, in a sealed container it’ll keep for about two weeks. If you like, you can freeze it for a few months.

Can I use frozen blackberries to make blackberry curd?

You can with a bit of prep: after you measure or weigh out the blackberries, rinse them in a colander. This will help thaw them and remove those ice crystals that attach themselves to the berries.

Then spread out a paper towel on the counter and scatter the berries over it. The paper towel will absorb the melting ice and water dripping from the berries. Once they are dry you can proceed with the recipe as if you were using fresh berries.

Troubleshooting Homemade Curd: common issues

My curd is too thin: It might have not cooked enough. A thermometer is a great indicator of curd doneness. At about 160-170F the eggs will have thickened enough. If you don’t have a thermometer, use the spoon test: dip the spoon into the curd and then lift it. If it coats the back of the spoon without all slipping/running off, it’s likely done.

My curd doesn’t taste like blackberries: This is going to be an issue if you are using berries that aren’t very flavorful. Taste a berry first! If it has very little juicy blackberry flavor you aren’t going to be able to extract much from it. The fresher, in season berries will give you a tasty curd.

My curd is too thick: This could happen for a few reasons; the eggs used were extra large, there wasn’t enough blackberry puree (this is why it’s best to measure the puree after blending) or the curd was overcooked.

What can I do or make with blackberry curd

Lots! You can make blackberry curd bars a la these blueberry curd bars. Use the full recipe below and add 2 teaspoons tapioca starch to the curd before spreading it over a shortbread base.

It’ll be delicious spooned over a pavlova, under a layer of whipped cream and topped with fresh blackberries.

You can also stuff it into some cookies to make blackberry curd cookies (lemon, lime or orange zest to the cookie base).

I can see it spread between layers of pillowy milk bread dough to make some blackberry curd rolls (imagine that gorgeous color!) or added to this cheesecake in both the batter and a baked layer on top.

And, it’s also absolutely wonderful spooned over some ice cream!

A note on color: how vibrant your homemade blackberry curd will be will depend on the berries used. Fresh, juicy blackberries that have a violet coloring will give you a bright magenta colored curd. Dark black blackberries will yield a dark purple curd.

Recipe for Homemade Blackberry Curd

Blackberry Curd

Smooth, luscious blackberry curd made easy with fresh berries and whole eggs.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Chill Time: 1 hour hr

Yields: 1 pint

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Ingredients

• 300 g or 9 oz fresh blackberries if using frozen berries, rinse and dry the berries (see related section in text above)
• 170 g or ¾ cup blackberry puree from above
• 170 g or heaped ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• pinch fine sea salt omit if using salted butter
• 85 g or 6 tablespoons butter unsalted, cold

Method

• Puree the blackberries in a food processor. Press the puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. You should have about ¾ cup or 170g of puree.
• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt.
• Add the puree, sugar and eggs to a pot and whisk. Set the pot over low heat and begin cooking. Stir frequently as it cooks, it will thicken on the bottom first.
• When the curd starts bubbling and is thick all over, turn off the heat.
• Slice the butter into a bowl and set a fine mesh sieve over it. Pour the cooked curd through the sieve, pressing to remove all the liquid. Scrape the bottom of the sieve.
• Stir until the butter has melted and the curd is smooth. Once it comes to room temperature, pour it into a sealable jar and store in the fridge.
• The curd will keep for 3 weeks, sealed in the fridge. For longer storage, freeze.

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