Cornelian Cherry Curd -

Cornelian Cherry Curd

A smooth, creamy Cornelian cherry curd with a sharp, sour-cherry flavour. Made with fresh fruit, eggs, sugar and butter as a tart alternative to lemon curd.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Course Foraged Ingredients, Preserves & Condiments, Summer

Cuisine High Protein, International

Servings 16

Calories 105 kcal

Ingredients

500 g ripe Cornelian cherries
100 ml water
120 g granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
75 g unsalted butter chilled and cut into cubes
1 small pinch fine salt

Instructions

Add the Cornelian cherries and water to a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring and lightly mashing occasionally, until the fruit has completely softened.
Press the cooked fruit through a coarse sieve or colander to remove the stones and skins. Measure 200 g of Cornelian cherry purée and set aside.
Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together in a heatproof bowl until smooth. Whisk in the Cornelian cherry purée and salt.
Set the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water without allowing the bowl to touch the water. Stir continuously with a silicone spatula until the curd thickens and reaches approximately 77–80°C (171–176°F).
Add the butter. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chilled butter a few cubes at a time until completely melted and incorporated.
Pass the warm curd through a fine-mesh sieve for a smooth finish.
Transfer to a clean container, cover and refrigerate. The curd will thicken further as it cools.

Notes

Sweeter curd: Cornelian cherries can vary considerably in acidity. If your fruit is exceptionally tart, increase the sugar by 10–20 g rather than trying to remove the fruit's characteristic sharpness entirely.

Vanilla: A small amount of vanilla works well if you want a softer dessert flavour, particularly when using the curd for cakes or pastries.

Orange: A little finely grated orange zest can add a citrus note without adding more acidity. I wouldn't add lemon juice—the Cornelian cherries already provide plenty of tartness.

Butter: Use unsalted butter so you can control the seasoning. I wouldn't substitute margarine or a spreadable butter blend, as the water and fat content can alter the final texture.

The recipe is naturally gluten-free, but it isn't vegan or dairy-free because eggs and butter are fundamental to this style of fruit curd.

Storage and Freezing

Keep the curd covered in the refrigerator. For this Cornelian cherry formulation, I’d take the conservative approach and use it within one week, as it hasn't been laboratory tested for extended refrigerated storage.

For longer storage, freezing is the better option than canning. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has validated freezing for its lemon curd recipe for up to a year, with refrigerator thawing recommended; although that doesn't specifically validate this Cornelian cherry formulation, it supports freezing as the more appropriate preservation approach for fruit curds.

I would not water-bath can this Cornelian cherry curd. The NCHFP specifically states that fruit curds other than its tested lemon/lime formulations are not currently recommended for home canning.

Keyword Cornelian cherries, Cornelian cherry curd, foraged fruit, fruit curd, homemade curd, seasonal recipes, sour cherry curd