This blood orange curd is tangy, thick, and silky smooth made without eggs! Just like lemon curd, this fruit curd uses fresh squeezed blood orange juice and blood orange zest for a zingy, bright flavor. It's delicious in blood orange cake, tarts, and more.
One of my favorite times for produce is citrus season. It truly helps bring some bright, sunny flavor to the cold months of the year. In January and February, so many kinds of citrus are abundant, like lemons, limes, grapefruit, and yuzu. Blood oranges are also in season, and what could be better to make with them than this blood orange curd!
Milk, blood oranges, sugar, and cornstarch help this silky smooth, thick fruit curd spread come together without any eggs. The natural pink-red color from the blood orange juice makes this curd extra beautiful. The flavor is tart and sweet, but not as sharp as lemon or lime. It's truly delicious, like a jar of sunshine!
If you love citrus recipes, try lemon lavender cupcakes, lemon chocolate cake, or lemon cheesecake overnight oats next.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fresh squeezed blood orange juice- Blood oranges have a stunning ruby red color and a unique tart flavor with a hint of raspberry. Fresh juice and zest flavor and color this curd.
- No eggs- Traditional fruit curds are made with whole eggs or egg yolks to help them set and get creamy. Like my eggless lemon curd, this recipe uses a combination of milk or cream and cornstarch to get a similar thickness and rich quality.
- Easy to make- With only a handful ingredients and instructions that are easy to follow, this recipe is perfect for beginner cooks.
- Super versatile- Use this curd to fill cakes, cupcakes, or to make a pie or tart. You can also spread it on scones, pancakes, waffles, or toast!
Ingredient Notes
Here are notes about the ingredients used. For quantities and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Milk- Milk mimics the rich, custard-like texture of egg yolks in traditional fruit curd. I recommend whole milk, and you can also use half and half or heavy cream. Non-dairy milk works too.
- Granulated sugar- This sweetens our curd. You can substitute caster sugar if desired since it dissolves more easily.
- Blood oranges- We need the zest and juice from about 4 blood oranges to make this curd. Be sure to zest the oranges before extracting the juice. I recommend a citrus squeezer to get the most juice out of your oranges.
- Cornstarch- This helps make the curd thick.
- Unsalted butter- Butter makes the curd lush and creamy and also helps to thicken it. Make sure the butter is cold to make the curd creamy and not greasy!
Substitutions & Variations
- Cornstarch: Potato starch or all purpose flour can be substituted.
- This recipe works with other oranges too! I recommend tangerines, Seville oranges, cara cara oranges, or navel oranges.
Helpful Equipment & Tools
You need a grater to remove the orange zest and a citrus squeezer or reamer to juice the blood oranges.
Because it's so acidic, citrus juice can react with some metals. Cook the curd in a non-reactive saucepan, like stainless steel, ceramic, or enamel-coated. Reactive materials, like aluminum, iron, or copper, can cause discoloration and a metallic taste.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are the steps to make the blood orange curd. Remember to zest and juice the oranges before you start!
STEP 1: First, pour the milk, sugar, blood orange juice, and zest into a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth and well combined.
STEP 2: Add the cornstarch and cold butter to the pot, whisking constantly until they disappear into the mixture. Continue whisking until the curd comes to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Do not boil. The curd is done when it coats the back of a spoon.
STEP 3: Pour the curd into a heat-proof jar or other container and place a piece of cling film over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. It will thicken even more in the fridge.
STEP 4: Once your curd has thickened, use it in cakes, cupcakes, thumbprint cookies, or spread on toast and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Don't let boil. If the blood orange curd boils, it might turn out curdled or grainy. If it gets grainy, pour through a fine mesh strainer to make it smooth again.
- Use cold butter. Room temperature butter will make the curd greasy instead of creamy.
- The color may vary. The flesh of blood oranges varies in color, so the final color of your curd will vary.
How to Use
Fruit curds are so versatile! Here are some ways you can use it:
- Spread on toasted bread, bagels, or English muffins for a delicious and citrusy breakfast or snack.
- Use as a filling between vanilla cake layers for a burst of flavor and more moisture.
- Layer the curd with yogurt and granola to create a vibrant and flavorful parfait.
- Dollop the curd on pancakes, waffles, or crepes.
- Use as a filling for cupcakes, muffins, pastries, or tarts.
- Swirl into a cheesecake batter like this raspberry brownie cheesecake.
- Spread between shortbread cookies or use to make thumbprint cookies. It'd be delicious in these lemon bar cookies!
Storage & Freezing
Store leftover blood orange curd in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Make sure to keep the surface covered so a film doesn't form on top.
Freezing
Freeze the curd for up to 6 months in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes a little under 12 ounces or 1 ยฝ cups of curd.
If your curd is still runny after chilling in the refrigerator, you probably didn't cook it long enough or didn't add enough cornstarch.
If your blood orange curd splits, the temperature of your burner was probably too high. Try to keep the curd at 185ยฐF/85ยฐC. Don't let it boil, only simmer gently.
More Frosting & Filling Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Blood Orange Curd
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 123 grams milk
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 65 grams blood orange juice
- 2 tablespoon blood orange zest
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ยฝ tablespoon unsalted butter cold
Instructions
- Zest and juice your blood oranges and place a medium saucepan over medium low heat.
- Place milk, sugar, blood orange juice, and zest in the saucepan. Whisk until well combined.123 grams milk, 100 grams granulated sugar, 65 grams blood orange juice, 2 tablespoon blood orange zest
- Add the cornstarch and cold butter to the pot. Whisk constantly until smooth for about 5 minutes, letting come to a simmer. The curd is done when it coats the back of a spoon.1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 ยฝ tablespoon unsalted butter
- Pour into a heat-proof jar. Place a piece of plastic over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
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