A new post? Two days in a row? I don’t even know who I am anymore.
But I felt that sharing this recipe for pumpkin curd was pertinent. Necessary. Imperative. It’s a simple project that should definitely go on your kitchen to-do list this weekend.
So. You know how lemon curd is really amazing and delicious? All thick and smooth and perfect?
Pumpkin curd is lemon curd’s distant cousin. More like a third cousin twice removed, really. The principle and preparation is essentially the same, but the results are extraordinary. Creamy, thick, luscious, and spicy, pumpkin curd is one of my favorites ways to encapsulate autumn in a jar.
What might you use pumpkin curd for, you ask?
Spread it atop a freshly baked scone, or swirl a spoonful into your oatmeal for an indulgent breakfast treat. Dollop some pumpkin curd in between two cookies for an incredible sandwich cookie. Better idea: pumpkin curd macarons. You’re welcome.
You could also fold one cup of lightly sweetened, freshly whipped cream into 1/2 cup of pumpkin curd to make a creamy, supple, airy pumpkin curd mousse that would certainly make for an outrageously delicious dessert. That would also make an insane cake filling. Just saying.
Another idea? Sub pumpkin curd for the lemon curd in this martini recipe, omit the rosemary syrup, and shake up an insanely delicious cocktail. Might I suggest a cinnamon sugar rim?
I suppose what I’m saying is that the possibilities are truly endless when it comes to what you could do with pumpkin curd. You also have the option of just straight up eating it with a spoon, so there’s that.
Pumpkin Curd
Yield: 12 ounces pumpkin curd
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Ingredients:
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
good pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 tablespoon whole milk, heavy cream, or ½ and ½
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold
Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine the eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, kosher salt and pumpkin puree. Whisk to combine.
Add the first amount of cubed cold butter, and place the saucepan over low heat.
Whisk the pan constantly until the butter is melted.
Once the butter has melted, increase the heat to medium, and continue whisking constantly. You'll think that nothing is happening, and all of a sudden the mixture will begin to thicken and gel-up a bit.
Continue whisking. The curd is done when the mixture holds its shape when it falls into the saucepan from the whisk, and reaches 196 degrees F.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately strain the curd though a fine mesh sieve into a blender.
Add the milk or cream, and blend on medium-high for 30 seconds until the mixture begins to lighten in color and becomes thing.
Add the remaining amount of butter and blend to distribute.
Scrape the pumpkin curd into a jar, and allow to come to room temperature before putting on the lid and refrigerating.
The curd will continue to thicken as it cools, and will firm up even more once it's been in the fridge for a few hours.
The pumpkin curd will keep, stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.
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