Fresh Raspberry Curd

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We all know about lemon curd, but have you ever made raspberry curd before? It is absolutely delicious! My recipe for Fresh Raspberry Curd is bright and tangy and perfectly sweet with a nice soft set. With berry curds, the flavor comes from the whole fruit (unlike lemon curd where you can use just the juice and the zest), therefore you are sure to get a lot of flavor out of it. This also means that the curd will have a slightly softer set, but still perfect for filling cakes, cupcakes, pastries and cookies. It's also delicious served with pancakes, crepes, granola and berries. If you're new to making curd, try my easy One Pot Lemon Curd or my Small Batch Lemon Curd recipe. You will never buy lemon curd from the store again after you make this simple homemade one pot recipe with just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes over the stove.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Fresh or frozen berries - you can use fresh or frozen raspberries to make this recipe since they will be cooked down and measured before preparing the curd.
Tart raspberry flavor - this curd is perfectly tart and not too sweet. It is so delicious.
Bright citrus flavor - there is still lemon juice needed to provide the right amount of acidity to help this curd set, so you still get a wonderful raspberry lemonade vibe coming through!
Not too sweet - there's just the right amount of sugar to make this recipe work and give a silky texture without being to sweet. It's a nice tart curd!
A bit of corn starch - this recipe requires a bit of corn starch to help thicken it due to the added water coming from the cooked raspberries.
It's so versatile - you can use this curd as a cake filling or topping, you can use it to fill cupcakes and make my lemon cupcakes, serve it with yogurt or on top of ice cream, serve it with fresh berries and crumbled meringue or how about with pancakes or crepes for a light breakfast or brunch? It is delicious everywhere!

INGREDIENTS FOR RASPBERRY CURD

Here are a few notes about the ingredients. For the full ingredient list with measurements, see the recipe card at the very bottom of this post.

Egg - this recipe requires one whole egg and one egg yolk to set it. The whites from both eggs will bring too much moisture in this case. It also creates a less eggy flavor so that the raspberry really shines through. Egg yolks create a silky texture and add richness.
Sugar - sugar is so important here! Sugar sweetens the curd to balance the acidity and also plays a major role in creating a silky texture that prevents the egg proteins from coagulating too firmly.
Lemon Juice - I only ever make curd with freshly squeezed lemon juice (not bottled). It provides the tangy flavor and the acidity also helps to set the egg proteins. Bottled lemon juice is pasteurized, which means it is heated to destroy the bacteria before bottling. The heat reduces the quality of the taste.
Raspberries - you can use fresh or frozen raspberries to make this curd.
Corn starch - I don't use corn starch in my lemon curd recipe, but this raspberry curd requires a bit to help it thicken since it has a lot more solids. For loose set, use ½ teaspoon and for a thicker set use 1 teaspoon.
Butter - the key to a delicious silky curd is a bit of butter to make it smooth and glossy. It also helps it set up with a thicker texture as the butterfat hardens. The trick to making one-pot lemon curd is to add the butter at the beginning - the fat will protect the egg proteins from curdling.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1). Make the raspberry sauce. Add the raspberries to a small saucepan and cook them over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until they've completely softened and released their juices. Pass the cooked raspberries though a sieve placed over a bowl or jug to remove the seeds. You should get about ⅓ cup (80ml) of thick raspberry sauce. This will take some elbow grease so keep pushing the seeds into the sieve with a spatula or the back of a large spoon spreading them back and forth until you extract as much juice as possible. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the sieve periodically because that's where most of the pulp clings.
STEP 2). Mix curd ingredients. Combine egg, egg yolk and sugar in another small saucepan and whisk to blend evenly so it is smooth. Add the corn starch and whisk until smooth. Add the lemon juice and whisk it in evenly, then whisk in the thick raspberry sauce.
STEP 3). Cook. Add the cubed butter and then place the saucepan over medium-low heat stirring the whole time for 7-10 minutes until it thickens up like pudding. It should read 85 degrees C on a thermometer and will just start to bubble up. If you find it is taking too long, increase the heat slightly but be very cautious and stir constantly so that it doesn't cook the eggs.
STEP 4). Cool. Remove from the heat and pour the finished raspberry curd into a bowl or heat-proof container and cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film. Make sure that the plastic wrap/cling film is in direct contact with the surface of the raspberry curd - this will prevent skin from forming. I like to use a mason jar to store it. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature, then chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or until completely set. (You can also prepare the raspberry curd a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge until needed.)

EXPERT TIPS FOR RASPBERRY CURD

Measure out the raspberry sauce. Since berries contain different levels of moisture depending on where they are grown and the season and how long they were frozen, it's important to measure the amount of raspberry sauce that you get after to pass it through the strainer. This will help ensure you get the right consistency in the final product.
Cook over gentle heat. Overcooking will cause egg proteins to bond too tightly, squeezing water out from between them and giving them a rubbery, lumpy texture. It's best to cook over gentle heat and have patience as hard as it is.
Stir constantly. Those pesky egg proteins are very sensitive to heat and will curdle the second you walk away from them so be sure to stir constantly.
Strain the curd. Pass the hot curd through a sieve for the smoothest texture and to remove any accidental bits of cooked egg if you are concerned (it happens to the best of us).
Cover with a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface before chilling to prevent a skin from forming. This prevents the proteins on surface of the curd from drying out which is what creates the "skin" or a film on top. It is perfectly find and edible, but it will create some lumps in the curd.

RECIPE FAQ:

What is curd?

Curds (like lemon curd and raspberry curd) are a type of stirred custard made from a cooked, thickened egg mixture. In the presence of heat and acid, egg proteins begin to bond to one another, transforming the liquid mixture into a smooth thick gel. In order to do this, gentle cooking is necessary to minimize the possibility of curdling.

How does raspberry curd set?

The acid from lemon juice helps to transform the ultimate structure of proteins (a process called denaturation) which unravels their natural folded structure so that their side chains are exposed to react with the surrounding environment. When this happens, the proteins begin to form bonds with each other, or coagulate, in a gentle way to form a continuous network of proteins with water held between them. This is what creates the thick and silky texture of curd.

What is raspberry curd made of?

Raspberry curd (like lemon curd) is made from eggs, sugar, lemon juice and butter. It's the same concept as a custard, except for lemon curd the proteins set by acid as well, which is why lemon curd does not require a thickener like flour or corn starch.

What is curd used for?

You can use raspberry curd in so many ways! Use it as a filling for cakes and cupcakes, to serve with pancakes or crepes (to make a crepe cake!), you can add it to your yogurt with some berries and granola, swirl it through vanilla ice cream or fill tarts and pastries.

What happens if I over-cook raspberry 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. You can try to strain the curd to remove the bits of egg, but it will affect the overall consistency. I would recommend trying again!

fresh raspberry curd in a jar and on a spoon

STORING

How do you store raspberry curd?

Store raspberry curd covered tightly in the fridge. I like to store it in a mason jar.

How long does raspberry curd last in the fridge?

Raspberry curd will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge, so it is great to make it in advance when you need it to fill cakes and pastries.

If you love lemon, check out my other lemon recipes:

Easy Creamy Lemon Tart Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf Lemon Brownies Lemon Raspberry Sheet Cake Lemon Crinkle Cookies Lemon Raspberry Muffins Swirled Lemon Cheesecake Bars Light & Luscious Lemon Cake Easy Small Batch Lemon Curd Easy Almond Raspberry Lemon Bars (gluten free) Lemon Coconut Crumb Tarts

Looking for more delicious recipes with raspberries? Try these:

Baking with curds

Here are some recipes that use curd:

Video

Raspberry Curd

Christina Marsigliese

Tart and tangy raspberry curd is the bold sister to lemon curd! It's packed full of raspberry flavor and makes a great filling for cakes, cupcakes and tarts, stirred into yogurt with fresh berries or served over ice cream.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 2

Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups 150g frozen raspberries (measure this by weight for best results)
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons 75g granulated sugar
½ - 1 teaspoon corn starch (use 1 teaspoon for a thicker set)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoon 45ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoon 42g unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

Make the raspberry sauce. Add the raspberries to a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan and cook them over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until they've completely softened and released their juices. Pass the cooked raspberries though a sieve placed over a bowl or jug to remove the seeds. You should get about ⅓ cup (80ml) of thick raspberry sauce. This will take some elbow grease so keep pushing the seeds into the sieve with a spatula or the back of a large spoon spreading them back and forth until you extract as much juice as possible. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the sieve periodically because that's where most of the pulp clings.
Make the curd base. Combine egg, egg yolk and sugar in another small saucepan and whisk to blend evenly so it is smooth. Add the corn starch and whisk until smooth. Add the lemon juice and whisk it in evenly, then whisk in the thick raspberry sauce.
Add the cubed butter and then place the saucepan over medium-low heat stirring the whole time for 7-10 minutes until it thickens up like pudding. It should read 85 degrees C on a thermometer and will just start to bubble up. If you find it is taking too long, increase the heat slightly but be very cautious and stir constantly so that it doesn't cook the eggs.
Once thickened, remove from the heat and pour the finished raspberry curd into a bowl or heat-proof container and cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film. Make sure that the plastic wrap/cling film is in direct contact with the surface of the raspberry curd - this will prevent skin from forming. I like to use a mason jar to store it. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature, then chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or until completely set. (You can also prepare the raspberry curd a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge until needed.)
NOTE: raspberry curd is slightly runnier than lemon curd due to the added solids of the raspberries that take up volume so it will not set to a gel-like consistency like lemon curd will.