How to Make Yuzu Curd

I found yuzus at the farmers market last week.   It was so exciting, like finding buried pirate treasure underneath the lettuce and carrots.

I’d never actually had yuzu before, but I knew I wanted them: fancy restaurants use them in all kinds of stuff, plus, they’re citrus fruit (I can’t get enough), and I love saying the name- yuzu. Yuzu.  yuzuuuuuu.  

Shae from Hitchhiking to Heaven has a pet pigeon named yuzu, and now when I think about Yuzu, I also think about pretty white birds.  Positive all around.

I know some people are reading this and thinking “what the hell is a yuzu?”

The short answer: It’s a citrus fruit that originates from China.

They’re tart and very fragrant, which means that they’re going to lend themselves very well to all kinds of cooking applications.  If you hold one up and smell it, the fruit has this unique scent of ripe, juicy citrus that reminded me of tangerines or mandarin oranges.  

If you slice it open, you’ll see the fruit is filled with seeds and has very little juice.  The flavor of the juice is very tart, like lemon or grapefruit juice, but with this really subtle hint of muskiness.

I desperately want to make a marmalade with these.  I know it would be amazing, what with the tart flavor and fragrant rinds (they remind me, visually, of smallish Seville oranges),  but I only got my hands on a couple of them, and they were so expensive.  

I racked my brain thinking of ways to preserve them that were even better than marmalade, and realized… Curd!

While the marmalade is just fruit and sugar, curd takes citrus preserving to a whole new level, adding butter and eggs to make this buttery, silky, luscious spread.  

Lemon curd tastes like the filling of a lemon merengue pie.  

I don’t know if there’s such a thing as yuzu merengue pie, but if there is, I bet it tastes a lot like the Curd I made.

If I were some kind of advanced-level food blogger, I’d bake something ridiculous to go with my yuzu curd.  Chocolate cupcakes with yuzu curd filling and merengue icing, or something.  

I don’t even have my camera, though. (It’s getting cleaned at Camera Heaven in San Francisco because taking action shots of flour with an expensive camera means you need to go have professionals fix it for you afterward).  

Maybe one day, when I have my camera back and I’m cooking for a special occasion, I’ll actually bake those cupcakes.  A vanilla pound cake would also be good, or croissants.  

Fancy baked goods (that I never really eat) aside, my favorite real-life way to eat citrus curd is to mix a little bit into some plain yogurt and granola.  It’s heavenly.

Making Yuzu Curd

Makes: 4 1/2 pint jars

Cook Time: about 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. yuzu zest, from 10 or 11 yuzus:  If you don’t get a full half-cup of zest from the yuzu, fill in the missing amount with other citrus zest
• 1 cup citrus juice: Use as much yuzu juice as you have, and fill in the gap with lemon or grapefruit juice.  The ten small yuzu that I had made only about 1/8 c. of juice and I used lemon juice to supplement the rest.
• 3/4 unsalted butter, sliced into small pieces
• 4 whole eggs, beaten until they are light and frothy
• 7 egg yolks

Mix together the yuzu zest and sugar in a bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes.  Wash four jars (or other containers suitable for the freezer) in hot, soapy water.  

In a heavy-duty, thick-bottomed pot,* combine all of the ingredients, including the sugar/zest mixture.  Turn the heat to very low and start whisking everything together.  

The butter will start to melt; keep whisking.  Once the butter is melted all the way and the mixture is smooth, turn the heat to medium.  Keep whisking.  Don’t stop, not for just anything, or the eggs will curdle and the texture will be off.**  

It will take a few minutes, but eventually, the curd will start to thicken.  Keep whisking.  When it reaches the consistency of a thick pudding, it’s ready.  Pull the pot off the heat.

Ladle the curd into jars, leaving 1/2″ or so headspace.  Attach lids.  Don’t water bath process this, just put it in the fridge or freezer.  I have no idea if this recipe is acidic enough for canning, but I don’t care because we eat it so fast.  The jars last for a week or so in the fridge.

*I use my jam pot for making citrus curd too.  The thick bottom makes sure you can control the temperature well, which is very important in this recipe.  Some people might use a double-boiler, but I’ve found that as long as you have a good pot and don’t stop whisking, it turns out just fine.

**I actually dropped my cell phone into the pot of curd during the whole whisking process, and my whole value system was tested in the blink of an eye.  

Functional cell phone or yuzu curd? I chose yuzu curd. I yanked my cell phone out of the pot and threw it on the counter, covered with butter and eggs.  I did not stop whisking.  No more process pictures of curd, thank you very much.

For a curd recipe that’s safe for canning, go to this post which I did last winter, grapefruit-scented lemon curd. 

Some facts about this Yuzu curd.

Yuzu curd is a delicious, tart, and tangy citrus curd that’s perfect for spreading on toast, using as a filling for cakes and tarts, or eating straight from the spoon!

This recipe is incredibly easy to make and only requires a few simple ingredients. The hardest part is waiting for the curd to cool before you can dig in. But trust me, it’s worth the wait. In this article, we’ll show you how to make the best yuzu curd recipe ever.

Yuzu (also known as Japanese lime) is a small, green citrus fruit that’s native to East Asia. It’s not a lime, but rather a hybrid of a lemon and a mandarin orange. It’s used in a variety of Japanese dishes and desserts, including yuzu curd.

Yuzu curd is a delicious, tangy citrus curd that’s perfect for spreading on toast, using as a filling for cakes and tarts, or eating straight from the spoon! It’s a really versatile recipe that you can use in a lot of different ways.

It’s a great way to use up extra yuzu (or yuzu juice) that you have left over from making a yuzu tea or cocktails. It’s also a great way to use up lemons or oranges if you don’t have any yuzu lying around.

Tips for using yuzu curd

– If you’re not using the curd straight away, you can refrigerate it for up to a week. Make sure to seal it tightly to prevent the yuzu curd from getting watery.

– Yuzu curd is great on toast, pancakes, scones, biscuits, or muffins. You can also use it as a filling in tarts, cupcakes, or cheesecakes.

– Yuzu curd will thicken even more as it sits. You can thin it out with a splash of water if you want to use it in a cake batter or pour it over pancakes or scones.

– You can substitute the yuzu juice with the juice of 2 lemons or 4 oranges if you don’t have any yuzu lying around.

How to store yuzu curd

– You can store the curd in the fridge for up to a week.

– If you’re storing it for more than a few days, make sure to keep it in an airtight container.

– You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

How to Canning yuzu curd

Canning yuzu curd is a great way to preserve the bright, citrusy flavor of this beloved fruit. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that has a unique flavor that’s a cross between lemon, lime, and grapefruit. It’s a bit more tart than your average citrus fruit, which makes it perfect for making curd.

Curd is a creamy, spreadable dessert topping made from eggs, sugar, and citrus juice. It’s delicious on toast, scones, and even as a filling for cakes and pastries. By canning yuzu curd, you can enjoy this delightful spread all year round.

Here’s how to can yuzu curd:

Ingredients:

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh yuzu juice
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Equipment:

• Canning jars with lids and rings
• Water bath canner or large pot
• Jar lifter
• Whisk or electric mixer
• Stainless steel or glass mixing bowl
• Candy thermometer
• Funnel

Instructions:

1. Sterilize your canning jars, lids, and rings by boiling them in a large pot of water for 10 minutes. Keep them hot until ready to use.
2. In a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick.
3. In a small saucepan, heat the yuzu juice and butter over low heat until the butter is melted.
4. Slowly pour the yuzu mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
5. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. This should take about 10-15 minutes.
6. Remove the bowl from the heat and let the curd cool slightly. If you’d like a smoother texture, strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve.
7. Using a candy thermometer, check the temperature of the curd. It should be around 170°F (77°C) before canning.
8. Carefully ladle the hot curd into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace at the top. Wipe the rims of the jars clean and place the lids and rings on top.
9. Process the jars in a water bath canner or large pot for 15 minutes (adjust for altitude if necessary). Make sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch.
10. Using a jar lifter, carefully remove the jars from the canner and let them cool on a towel-lined surface for 24 hours.
11. Check the seals of the jars by pressing down on the center of the lid. If it doesn’t pop back up, the jar is sealed. If it does pop up, the jar didn’t seal properly and should be refrigerated and consumed within a few weeks.
12. Store the sealed jars of yuzu curd in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Once opened, store in the refrigerator and consume within a week.

In conclusion, canning yuzu curd is a simple process that yields a delicious spread that can be enjoyed throughout the year. By following these steps, you’ll have a stash of tangy yuzu curd ready to brighten up any breakfast or dessert.

3 thoughts on “Yuzu Curd”

1. roxanlitaJANUARY 13, 2012 AT 9:14 PMI have been searching for a good yuzu curd EVERYWHERE! we have great markets here and they have everything but I don’t always now how to do what i want. Ty ty ty for posting this!
   1. Caroline
   2. THanks roxy! Have fun, it’s delicious Reply
2. Karen Cell phone in the yuzu curd. That is a first and brought tears to my eyes. Hilarious. The curd sounds delicious as well!