Raspberry Curd

This is good stuff, man.

I mean,

it's 'take-a-taste-to-see-how-it-turned-out-and-then-forget -that-you-actually-made-it-for-a-specific-purpose-and-keep-spooning-it-in-your-mouth-with-abandon!'

good!

I think I'm a curd fan for life. If you've got puree or juice, or nectar; you've got the beginnings of some delicious yum! I made this particularly for the Valentine Whoopie Pies, but I could see it used in many ways:

1. Cupcake filling

2. Served with raspberry scones

3. Mixed with butter for rolls or frybread

4. Layered in a cake or pie

5. On pancakes or crepes.......

Possibilities are unlimited! It's not difficult, but it does require a few specifics:

1. A non-reactive pan to cook it in.

If you have a glass or stainless steel double boiler, super!!

If not, fashion one, like I do:

Take a medium-sized stainless kitchen bowl and place it on a smaller saucepan containing an inch or two of water. As long as the water is not touching the bottom of the pan it will work. I use this to melt chocolate, make pastry cream, curds, anything you would need a double boiler for! It works like a charm! You can easily control the heat by how much water is in the bottom pan and the temperature of your stove! If you use a pan with reactive metals, like aluminum, it will react with the acidity of your ingredients and impart a metallic taste to your curd.

Yuk.

It's now ruined.

Don't do it.

2. Actual raspberries.

Frozen is fine.

3. Butter.

Lots of it.

Unsalted, please!

4. Plastic wrap.

To place directly over the top of your curd.

So it doesn't form that yukky dried-out skin on the top.

Don't skip this step.

That's pretty much it! Are you ready?

Let's begin!

Raspberry Curd:

10 oz. fresh or frozen raspberries (thaw if using frozen)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 egg yolks

juice from half a medium lemon (about 2 tsp.)

6 Tablespoons butter--cut into Tablespoon-sized chunks.

Puree raspberries. Run through a sieve small enough to catch the seeds. Measure enough puree to equal 3/4 cup. You might get a different amount using fresh vs. frozen, so be ready to puree more raspberries if needed.

Fashion a double boiler using a medium, non-reactive (stainless steel is great) bowl fitted over a small pan with an inch or so of simmering water. Or if you actually have a double boiler, great!

Pour 3/4 cups raspberry puree, sugar, Egg yolks, and lemon juice into the double boiler. Stir well and let cook over simmering water until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chunks of butter. Mix until butter is melted.

Strain through sieve again and place into a small bowl. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of curd. Lay some plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd and set in fridge to cool.