I keep a jar of fresh raspberry rhubarb syrup on hand in the refrigerator during the spring and summer. We use that beautiful syrup to flavor lemonades and cocktails. When I have plenty of the syrup on hand, I simply use 1 cup of that syrup to make this curd. If not, I make a fresh batch of syrup, using 1 cup to make curd and keeping the rest on hand in the refrigerator.
Author: Jennifer from 1840 Farm
Ingredients
For the Raspberry Rhubarb Syrup
10ouncesraspberries, fresh or frozen
6ouncessliced rhubarb stalks, fresh or frozen
1cupwater
1cupgranulated sugar
1Tablespoonlemon juice
For the Curd
1cupraspberry rhubarb syrup
2Tablespoonslemon juice
4large eggs
pinchof salt
2sticks(16 Tablespoons) butter
Instructions
For the Raspberry Rhubarb Syrup
Place all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan placed over medium heat. Stir gently to combine the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Once the mixture comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for five minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth to remove the fruit and seeds. Press the fruit to release all of the liquid.
Transfer the strained syrup to a container with a tight fitting lid. I like to store my homemade syrups in glass bottles with a pour spout for easy dispensing. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Curd
Cut the butter into Tablespoon sized pieces, reserving 2 Tablespoons to be added to the curd after it is finished cooking.
In a medium bowl, combine the raspberry rhubarb syrup, lemon juice, eggs, and salt. Whisk gently to combine Place a medium saucepan over low heat. Add 14 Tablespoons of the butter to the pan. Once the butter melts, add the raspberry rhubarb syrup mixture and whisk to combine. Increase the heat slightly and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens. A perfectly thickened curd will be what the French would call “Nappe”.
Nappe is a fancy term for the consistency a sauce reaches when it is thick enough to coat a dish without being too thick. Checking to see if a curd or custard is nappe is simple. Immerse a clean spoon into the mixture; remove the spoon, turning it so that the back of the spoon is facing you. Run a finger down the length of the spoon from the handle to the tip. If a clean path is created and the curd remains on both sides of the spoon, you have achieved nappe. If not, simply continue to cook the sauce while whisking until it thickens properly.
Once the curd reaches nappe consistency, remove the pan from the heat. I like to strain my curd to into a large bowl to ensure that there are no lumps or bits of scrambled egg in the finished curd, but this step can be skipped. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter, whisking to incorporate the butter into the curd as it melts.
Transfer the finished curd to a large bowl or Mason jar with a tight fitting lid. Curd can be kept in the refrigerator for one week.