Pam the Jam: The Book of Preserves by Pam Corbin

Author:Pam Corbin
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781408884485
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2019-07-10T23:00:00+00:00

COOKING FRUIT CURD

To make a fruit curd, first the butter, sugar and fruit are heated gently, and then the eggs are added. Before you start, it’s important to have everything prepared: eggs ready, and whisk and spatula close to hand, as things happen quickly once the butter starts to melt.

To cook the curd, a heatproof bowl should be set over a pan of simmering water, without the bowl touching the water. A stainless steel bowl will conduct heat more effectively than a china or glass one, which means the curd will cook more quickly. However, if the steel bowl is very light and thin, then the mixture will get hot too fast. The cooking times in my recipes assume you are using a sturdy, stainless steel bowl.

The temperature of the mixture should be about 50°C (barely any more) when the eggs are added. If you don’t have a digital thermometer, it’s just a moment or two before the butter has completely melted. Any hotter and the egg will harden and the curd won’t fluff up so well; this means it will be denser, and you won’t have so much of it. There’s also a risk that the curd will split.

When the curd is ready, it should have a temperature of about 78°C; the surface will appear semi-translucent and glass-like. At this temperature, the eggs will have been pasteurised (heated to kill any pathogens) so they are safe to eat, and the curd will have a slightly longer shelf life.

What to do if your curd splits

If the curd does split, take the bowl off the heat and whisk hard until the mixture is smooth. Continue to follow the recipe as before, making sure the water is simmering and not too hot.

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