Grapefruit and blood orange curd is a silky smooth dessert spread with the sweetness of blood orange and the tart tang of grapefruit. This citrus curd adds a decadent twist to a fresh baked biscuit or scone, and is delightful in a citrus tart or pie. If you follow my tips, you will get a perfectly smooth and creamy result every single time.
Citrus is one of my most favorite ingredients. While seasonal varieties are found during the winter many varieties are everbearing, providing us with citrus options all year long.
I love it so much that this past fall I planted three indoor/outdoor citrus trees: bearss lime, meyer lemon, and navel orange. It will be a while before they start bearing fruit, but they should keep me stocked on citrus with enough to share.
One of the best things about citrus is that it’s extremely versatile – you can use the juice, the zest, the fruit, or all three. There are sweeter varieties like blood orange, meyer lemon, and mandarin orange, and very tart varieties like a eureka lemon or bearss lime.
Today, we are making this grapefruit and blood orange curd with varieties from both ends of the spectrum, for that perfect balance of sweet and tart.
The result is a smooth and creamy curd that can be used like you would a jam or preserve. Slather it on toast, a biscuit, or scone. Put it between layers of a cake. Make it into a pie or tart.
Any way you eat it, it’s delicious treat that is sure to satisfy.
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Curd
- Read all directions before you start.
- Use fresh fruit – not packaged fruit juice – and strain it before you measure it. The quality really does make a difference and the pulp is unnecessary.
- Use real sugar and real butter. Baking is like a science experiment in your kitchen – it’s not going to turn out right if you change the ingredients.
- Don’t try to rush it – cook it slowly over low heat.
- A silicone spatula makes it easier to scrape the edges of the pan while you are stirring.
- You’ll know it’s cooked once it coats the back of a spoon like in the image below.
- Give it at least 60 minutes in the fridge for it to chill through and thicken.
- For longer storage, place it in the freezer. It won’t solidify, but it will keep it tasting fresher longer.
Variations
Blood oranges are a seasonal variety. Depending on where you live, you’ll find blood oranges between December and May. Since they are harder to find, I always grab a few whenever I find them. If you can’t find blood oranges, you can substitute naval or mandarin oranges for a similar result. The color will be slightly different, but the flavor will still be great.
I used a ruby red grapefruit. It is still fairly bitter, but a slightly sweeter variety than a white grapefruit. If you prefer a tart curd, go ahead and use the white grapefruit with no other variations. If you prefer a sweeter curd but can only find white grapefruit swap 2 teaspoons of the grapefruit juice for orange juice instead.
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Grapefruit and Blood Orange Curd Recipe
Whether you use it as a topping for ice cream, a filling for a cake, or eat it by the spoonful, this grapefruit and blood orange curd is sure to delight. With some of winter’s best fruit, it’s tangy, sweet, smooth, and creamy. It will be a hit no matter what your occasion.
If you like this recipe for Grapefruit and Blood Orange Curd, don’t forget to give it a five star rating!
Grapefruit and Blood Orange Curd
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup blood orange juice
- 1/4 cup ruby red grapefruit juice
- 3/8 cup sugar 6 tablespoons
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp grapefruit zest
- 1/2 tsp blood orange zest
- 4 TBSP butter - diced
Instructions
- In a 1.5 quart saucepan combine the juice, sugar, egg yolks, and zest.
- Heat over a low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened - about 5 - 7 minutes. Curd should coat the back of a spoon when it is done.
- Remove from heat, add in diced butter, and stir until melted.
- Strain, using the back of a spoon to push the curd away from the zest.
- Place into a clean, dry jar and refrigerate at least 1 hour to thicken.
Nutrition
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I am in love with this recipe! I love to make lemon curd, but haven’t gotten around to using other citrus yet. This is such a great idea!