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blood orange curd

I have been wanting to make blood orange curd for months – I love curd, and, as you know, am obsessed with blood oranges. Then Ms. Heidi blogged this absolutely gorgeous post on grapefruit curd and Morocco, and I read it while my newly purchased bag of blood oranges lounged next to me on the kitchen table, imploring me to use them. Her Polaroids made me dream of other places, and taking risks, and chasing dreams. The oranges seemed to taunt me: they had traveled farther, had been around the world. They would become something new, something exciting.They were the closest I could get to an adventure.

So I took what I could get, and that same afternoon I made a batch.

It was delicious.
There will be a jar of this in my fridge until blood oranges are absent from the market. And burning dreams may be on hold for now: there may not be that cafe to open and Paris to see, yet. But every time my spoon dips in that pretty pink curd, I will remind myself that while there is much to do and see in this wide world, right now, this present, is where I will chose to be. Longings of the heart are not pushed aside, but will be looked for daily, in every moment.The adventure belongs to these hands, and to the hands I’m holding.

* The origin of the quote ‘Oh, Darling, Let’s be Adventurers’ is from Izabella, who sells prints in her Etsy shop. If you are really into curds, you might enjoy this coconut curd from the Country Cleaver. It’s next on my list.

Blood Orange Curd
adapted from 101 cookbooks
Perfectly sweet tart, a dreamy treat to be spread on whatever you come up with: toast, biscuits, scones, afternoon cakes, shortbread crust and puff pastry.

1 cup freshly squeezed blood juice, strained
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained

Simmer the blood orange juice in a small saucepan, reducing it to 1/2 cup. Set aside to cool.
Cream the butter and sugar together [in a stainless steel bowl] until light and fluffy. Add the yolks, and then the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the salt, and then gradually add the blood orange juice and lemon juice.
Bring 1/3 cup of water to a simmer. Place your stainless steel bowl of curd on top to create a double boiler. Stir constantly, and heat slowly until the sugar is dissolved and the curd is thick enough to coat your spoon [about 166 degree; 10ish minutes]. The curd will thicken as it cools.
Keep refrigerated for a week, or up to a month in the freezer. Makes about 2 cups.
  • Reply
    Izabella
    Thursday, July 26, 2012 at 3:49 pm

    Hi there! I just came across your post and lovely blog 🙂 Just wanted to drop a quick note about “Oh Darling, Let’s Be Adventurers”. Thank you for linking to my etsy shop. I actually came up with the quote myself. I wrote a little blog post about the origin here:

    http://www.thedarlingadventurer.com/2012/07/the-origin-of-oh-darling-lets-be.html

    Sorry for not finding you earlier!
    xo Izabella

  • Reply
    thelittleloaf
    Monday, March 5, 2012 at 8:47 pm

    Beautiful beautiful post! Your blood oranges are always so much darker and more incredible to look at than the ones I can buy here – very jealous 🙂 That curd looks gorgeous too – definitely one to make.

    • Reply
      vanilla bean blog
      Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 3:32 am

      Thank you! I wonder why the color is so different. I’ve had a couple light ones, but mostly just purple. Hmm.

  • Reply
    Lauren Knight
    Monday, March 5, 2012 at 2:23 am

    Oh, this looks so good!

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 3:50 pm

    Sarah, another beautiful post, and I don’t mean just the photos. You’re talents just keep coming ‘coming to the surface’, like rich cream. (Please bring a jar along next weekend!) 🙂
    L

    • Reply
      Anonymous
      Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 3:51 pm

      ,,,Ooops, I mean your* 🙂

    • Reply
      vanilla bean blog
      Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 3:31 am

      Yes, I have some to bring! I’ll share. 🙂

  • Reply
    Sacha
    Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    Beautiful post! I’ve never seen a prettier curd 🙂

  • Reply
    london bakes
    Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 10:17 am

    Oh this is a lovely post and some stunning pictures. Blood oranges are just wonderful aren’t they?

    • Reply
      vanilla bean blog
      Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 3:29 am

      Thank you Kathryn. They sure are. I can’t get enough, as you can see. 😉

  • Reply
    Ladies Holiday
    Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 10:50 pm

    What a color!

  • Reply
    Terra
    Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 9:24 pm

    I totally understand your love for blood oranges, I have a new found love for them:-) Your blood orange curd looks fantastic! I made some last weekend, I am in love with it for sure:-) So happy Nelly shared your post with me! Hugs, Terra

    • Reply
      vanilla bean blog
      Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 3:28 am

      I’m so glad you stopped by! And now we’re Twitter friends, yeah. 🙂

  • Reply
    Marnely Rodriguez-Murray
    Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 8:46 pm

    Oh yum, this looks so delicious! Perfect to drizzle on cake!

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