Blueberry Cardamom Curd
Smooth, rich Blueberry Cardamom Curd, bursting with blueberry and cardamom flavor. Perfect for scones, muffins, cakes, tarts, or just eating right off a spoon.
When you think of a fruit curd, you probably think about citrus fruits – like lemon, lime, or grapefruit. But it’s time to think outside the citrus box and start turning new fruits into curd.
And I’m here to suggest my current obsession: blueberry curd. Curds work best when there’s some sharpness – which is why we usually see them with citrus. The acid present in citrus prevents the fruit curds from becoming too sweet and flat.
How do we translate this to blueberries? Cardamom is the answer. It adds just the right hint of spiciness with an almost pepper-like bite. Paired with blueberries, this curd is anything but one-note and boring!
This blueberry cardamom curd is the PERFECT accompaniment to scones and muffins, quick breads and cakes, fillings for pastries or tarts, or, if we’re being honest, just eating it off a spoon (my preferred method at the moment).
I recently used this to fill a layer cake and even friends, who admitted afterwards that they’re not really into fruit desserts, raved about the blueberry cardamom curd. It’s just that good.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Fruit curds are surprisingly simple and require few ingredients! You’ll need the following:
- Blueberries: The better the blueberries, the better the curd. I love using fresh, ripe, juicy blueberries, but frozen blueberries work as well – thaw and pat dry to remove excess moisture.
- Sugar: This is not the recipe to try to cut back on sugar – this is the necessary amount of sugar to ensure the recipe sets properly and creates a silky smooth texture!
- Cardamom: Like the blueberries, the fresher the cardamom, the better the curd. If your cardamom is old, try adding a little extra to compensate for any loss of flavor.
- Eggs: Many curd recipes call for only egg yolks, but I like to use the whole egg. Using whole eggs creates a lighter, fresher version, versus a denser, richer flavor. I love the brighter flavor with the egg whites in this recipe.
- Butter: I usually use standard American-style unsalted butter in my baking, but for curd recipes, I always try to use European-style salted butter. The higher fat content creates a smoother, richer flavor. You can use regular unsalted butter – I recommend adding a tiny pinch of salt – but the texture won’t be quite as glorious.
Eggs as the Magic Ingredient
How do we create such a smooth, delicious texture with only these simple ingredients? The answer is in the eggs!
To make blueberry card, we’ll cook down blueberries, the sugar, and cardamom unit the blueberries pop open and release their juices. Filter this through a fine mesh sieve to retain the juice (and discard the solids), leaving us with a sweetened, cardamom-infused blueberry juice.
This juice is then cooked down with eggs. Once the mixture is thickened, we can slowly add butter, one tablespoon at a time, and the end result is a smooth, creamy curd. How does this work? We can explain it all with my favorite subject, kitchen chemistry!
Kitchen Chemistry
Eggs play a role in fruit curd by forming a stable emulsion. In our curd, we have water (from the blueberry juice) and are trying to mix it with fat (from the butter). Under normal conditions, water and fat don’t combine. In the presence of eggs, however, we are able to successfully bring the two together. Egg yolks contain an emulsifier called lecithin that forms a barrier between the fat droplets and the water droplets. Slowly whisking the butter in is crucial to forming this emulsion. Without the eggs, the water and fat would separate out over time, resulting in a watery, clumpy curd.
Eggs may be the key to making a good curd, but if the mixture is overcooked even the slightest, the eggs can also ruin the smooth texture. Heating the curd too quickly or for too long can cause the proteins from the eggs to clump together, resulting in tiny bits of cooked egg.
I always recommend straining the cooked curd again through a fine mesh sieve to remove any of these tiny bits of cooked egg clumps – it’s the secret to the smoothest, creamiest texture!
Ways to Use Blueberry Curd
There are an endless number of ways to use this blueberry cardamom curd! We love it on toast, with scones, or spread on quick breads and muffins. It’s amazing as a filling for a cake, a dip for fresh fruit, or a topping for pancakes or waffles.
Here are just a few recipes that would be delicious with your creamy dreamy homemade blueberry curd!
- Berry Pavlova
- No Bake Cheesecake Parfaits
- Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Coconut Panna Cotta
- Vanilla Layer Cake
- Best Belgian Waffles
- Lemon Raspberry Muffins
- Lemon Cheesecake
Recommended Tools to Make Blueberry Curd
- Saucepan: A small or medium heavy-bottomed saucepan is ideal for making the curd – no need to use a double boiler.
- Mesh Sieve: Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the recipe twice – once after cooking down the blueberries and sugar, and again after adding in the eggs.
- Whisk: Use a heavy, sturdy whisk to whisk in the eggs and butter.
- Mason Jars: The 8 ounce size masjon jars are my favorite for storing and freezing blueberry curd.
Tips and Tricks to Make the Best Blueberry Cardamom Curd
- Use fresh blueberries. While you can use frozen, fresh blueberries will result in a more vibrant color and flavor compared to using frozen blueberries.
- Cook over low heat. If the heat is too high, the eggs will curdle and separate out from the curd.
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan, which helps prevent hte mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
- Add the butter in small pieces after the mixture has cooked down with the eggs. If the butter is added too quickly, it can break the emulsion.
- Strain the mixture after cooking the eggs and adding the butter. This will remove any little lumps and clumps.
- Cooled blueberry cardamom curd can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.
More Fruit Curd Recipes:
Blueberry Cardamom Curd
Smooth, rich blueberry cardamom curd, bursting with blueberry and cardamom flavor. Perfect for scones, muffins, cakes, tarts, or just eating right off a spoon.
Ingredients
- 1 quart fresh blueberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cardamom
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 6 tablespoons European-style salted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the blueberries, sugar, and cardamom. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil, 10-15 minutes. Stir frequently, breaking open the blueberries using the back of a wooden spoon.
- Remove the blueberry mixture from the heat and strain through a mesh strainer. Save the juice and discard the remaining solids.
- Return the blueberry juice to the saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Whisk in the eggs while the blueberry juice starts to warm, stirring continuously until fully incorporated. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until the mixture is thick enough to see visible whisk trails while stirring (or able to coat the back of a wooden spoon), approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, allowing each tablespoon to fully melt before adding the next.
- If desired, strain the curd again through a fine mesh sieve, and pour into a heatproof jar. Press a layer of plastic wrap against the top of the curd and refrigerate.
Notes
- Frozen blueberries can be used, but fresh blueberries provide the best color and flavor.
- European-style salted butter results in the best texture and flavor. If using American-style unsalted butter, add a tiny pinch of salt while adding the eggs.
- Cooled blueberry curd can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.
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Looks so good! And that color is gorgeous!!
Thanks, Lindsey! Although I suppose this does beg the question of why we don’t call them purpleberries. 😉
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Dear Julie,
Today is my husband’s birthday and he loves blueberries so I made this for him. I, too, made a mistake by grinding the entire cardomom pods instead of just the seeds. I learned later that America’s Test Kitchen said there is little to no difference in taste between the two! I tasted the berry-sugar-cardomom combination before cooking and decided to add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and a tiny pinch of salt. It really peaked up the flavor. I had to use frozen berries and the cooking produced a lot of juice so I increased the eggs to 4. I also strained the eggs into a bowl to remove the chalazae before adding to the juice. Oh, yummmmmmmmm! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thanks for the comment, Maril! Coincidentally, today is my birthday as well! I hope your husband loved this for his birthday – your additions sound delicious. Lemon is always such a great flavor pairing with blueberries.
I just made the blueberry and cardamom curd. Came out good but disappointed in the flavor not enough blueberry or cardamom taste. I saved the crushed blueberries now that is delicious
I would never have thought to make a blueberry curd. IT looks amazing.
You are a genius!! What a great flavour combination. I’m a die hard lemon curd lover, so can’t wait to try a blueberry version!
Haha, thanks Sarah! Definitely give it a try – I like it even more than lemon curd. 😉
I’ve only tasted lemon curd, but there are so many things to do with any fruit curd! I’m sure your little one loved the birthday cake, and so much better than some store bought concoction!
I love the blueberry cardamom combination! Very unusual but sounds very delicious as I love cardamom and blueberries.
So delicious! It’s a great combination – try it next time you bake with blueberries. I bet a blueberry cardamom pie would be delicious!
The color of that curd is gorgeous! I love blueberries but would have never though to pair them with cardamom, which I also love. Can’t wait to try this at home!
Thanks, Megan! I love pairing fruit with warm flavored spices – unexpected and delicious!
Can you tell me roughly how many cups of juice you usually end up with? I got nearly 2 cups, I want to make sure I’m on the right track.
Hi Laurie! I usually get between 1 1/4 and 1 3/4 cups of blueberry juice from the blueberries, so nearly 2 cups is on the high end. It’s a pretty forgiving recipe and has always set for me with the half cup difference, but you could scale it back to 1.5 cups if you want to be on the safe side. Hope it turns out well for you!
Want to bake my friend a cake but i saw you useswhole eggs and not egg yolks???
Yes, the recipe is correct – I use whole eggs for the blueberry cardamom curd. Enjoy the cake!!
What a fantastic recipe! I am too scared when it comes to baking to just wing it… I always need some kind of direction to follow. I love that you incorporated this into the cake! Gorgeous!
I can’t get over the colour of this! It’s just so beautiful. I just need a jar of this and a spoon and I’ll be happy!
Hi Lindsay,
I usually make jam and not jelly because I love the fruit. If I pureed the fruit instead of straining out the juice, would the recipe still work? Also, could this be done with strawberries?
I too, would like to know if it’s still considered a cure if whole fruit is used…