Passionfruit Curd

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Make a batch of these when passionfruit are in season and use them in a multitude of different ways

I do believe that passionfruit curd is the A-Lister of curds. Sure, lemon curd is a perennial favourite and I use it in a multitude of ways, but when it is peak passionfruit season in South Africa usually between December and January, I make sure I grab a haul from the Oranjezicht Farm Market and whip up a batch of this curd.

With just five ingredients and less than 10 minutes, you have yourself a filling that can be spooned from the jar, as is (I certainly won’t judge!), spread on toast, dolloped over granola, used as the base of sorbets, drizzled over pavlovas, used to fill cakes, makes a delicious cupcake frosting ….. I could keep going but I think you get the point.

I have read recipes which include the pips and those which strain them out, you can decide what works for you. I personally love the little dark specks and the texture and look they add. The important thing to bear in mind is that if you do strain the passionfruit of the pips, you would need more fruits to make up a cup.

The method has been tinkered with a bit, to be made in the microwave. This makes it relatively low-effort and requires minimal dishes. The recipe comes together in under 10 minutes and easily keeps in the fridge for two weeks, or frozen for about 3 months.

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW BEFORE MAKING THIS PASSIONFRUIT CURD?

How many fruit yield a cup of passionfruit pulp? I have consistently used around 12 passionfruit to get to a cup of pulp.

Can I halve this recipe? The odd number of whole eggs in the recipe makes it a bit tricky to just divide all ingredients by two. I would recommend using two whole eggs and then dividing the rest of the ingredients by two. You may end up with a slightly thicker curd which you can thin down with a bit more pulp.

Can I reduce the sugar? I would not reduce the sugar by more than 10% as stated in the recipe. That being said, taste your pulp before hand and tweak the sugar content depending on how tart/sweet the passionfruit pulp is.

Why do you add lime juice to the passionfruit curd? My original recipe actually used lemon juice, which you can do. I did however find that this made the curd quite sharp, tethering on a lemon curd flavour almost. The acid in both of these help with both balance of flavour, but also the high acid content helps the curd thicken through the coagulation with the egg proteins.

How to sterilize jars for storing curd? I honestly never do this and the curd lasts for a good two weeks in my fridge. If you want it to last up to three months, the I suggest sterilizing your jars. Essentially ensure your jars are well washed and whilst still wet, place them into a 140 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes. Boil the lids for 2 – 3 minutes on the stove top, as dry heat could cause them to warp. Importantly, spoon the hot curd into hot jars, to avoid potential thermal shock.

Can I freeze my passionfruit curd? Yes, you can. Just defrost it in the fridge the night before you are going to use it.

RECIPES WHICH USE PASSIONFRUIT CURD

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FOR THE PASSIONFRUIT CURD

250ml passionfruit pulp
60ml lime juice
225g white sugar
3 large eggs
2 egg yolks
75g butter, cold

METHOD

Cooks Note: I prefer a thicker curd that can be spooned into cakes as fillings and that holds its shape. If you prefer a looser, pouring curd then reduce the egg yolks in the recipe to one, rather than two.

Combine all the ingredients, except the butter: Place all the ingredients, except the butter, into a large microwave safe bowl (larger than you think your will need, as the curd bubbles up) and microwave for a minute.
Continue to heat the curd: Then whisk to combine all the ingredients. Place back in the microwave and heat for another minute, then whisk.
Remove from microwave: Depending on the strength of your microwave, you could do this between 5 – 8 times. The curd is ready when it looks all puffy and glossy and set when it comes out of the microwave. It should be able to coat the back of a spoon, without running off.
Add in the butter: Whisk in the butter and let it melt, until the curd looks glossy and smooth.
Storage: Then store in a glass jar. The curd will store in the fridge for up to two weeks.