Rhubarb Curd
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This Rhubarb Curd is silky, tangy, buttery, and just sweet enough. It also has a lovely blush-pink color. It's a great way to enjoy fresh rhubarb when it's in season. Try it as a topping for scones, biscuits, pound cake, pavlovas, yogurt, crepes, or toast.
The flavor is bright, fruity, and a bit tart, balanced by rich butter and eggs. It's like lemon curd, but with a unique rhubarb taste that feels fresh and perfect for spring.
Table of Contents
- Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- In Photos: How To Make Rhubarb Curd
- More Rhubarb Recipes
Rhubarb curd is a sweet-tart dessert spread made from cooked rhubarb, sugar, eggs, butter, and salt.
First, simmer the rhubarb until it's soft, then puree it and cook gently with eggs and butter until it thickens. After straining and chilling, the curd turns silky, easy to spoon, and rich.
You can use it anywhere you would use lemon curd, but it has a softer, fruitier taste.
Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Smooth and creamy: Cooking it gently over simmering water gives it a rich, smooth texture.
- Bright and tangy: Fresh rhubarb adds a tart, fruity flavor.
- Beautifully versatile: You can spoon it over desserts, spread it on toast, or use it as a cake filling.
- Make-ahead friendly: Since it needs time to chill, it's easy to prepare ahead of time.
- Naturally pretty: Adding a drop of pink or red food coloring is optional, but it gives the curd a gorgeous rosy color.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
- Fresh rhubarb: Choose firm, crisp stalks that are bright pink or red. Green rhubarb works as well, but the curd will be lighter in color.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the tartness of the rhubarb and helps the fruit break down as it cooks.
- Water: Just a little water helps the rhubarb soften and simmer without scorching.
- Eggs: Whole eggs give the curd body and help it to thicken.
- Egg yolks: Extra yolks make the texture richer and smoother.
- Unsalted butter: This adds richness, creaminess, and a mild buttery flavor. Using unsalted butter helps you control the saltiness.
- Kosher salt: It balances the sweetness and brings out the rhubarb flavor.
- Pink or red food coloring: This is optional, but it helps make the curd a brighter pink if you like.
In Photos: How To Make Rhubarb Curd
Step 1: Add Rhubarb, Sugar, and Water To A Pot
Place the chopped rhubarb, sugar, and water in a medium pot. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Simmer
Take off the lid, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the rhubarb is very soft and the liquid has reduced by half. This usually takes about 15 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
Step 3: Add Egg & Butter
Place the rhubarb puree in a wide metal bowl. Add the eggs, egg yolks, butter, and salt.
Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bottom doesn't touch the water. Whisk constantly as it cooks until the mixture thickens and reaches 170 degrees F.
Remove the curd from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a heat-safe bowl. This gives it an extra-smooth texture.
Whisk in the food coloring, if using.
Step 4: Cover & Chill
Press plastic wrap right onto the surface of the curd, then chill it for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- A metal bowl heats up and cooks the curd more quickly and evenly. Glass or ceramic bowls work too, but they take longer to heat and thicken the curd.
- Keep whisking the curd as it cooks. This prevents the eggs from scrambling and helps make the curd smooth and creamy.
- Make sure the water under the bowl only simmers gently. Avoid letting it boil too hard.
- Strain the curd after cooking, even if it looks smooth. This gets rid of any small bits of cooked egg or rhubarb fibers.
- The curd will get thicker as it chills, so don't worry if it seems a bit soft while it's still warm.
More Rhubarb Recipes
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Rhubarb Crisp
- Rhubarb Pistachio Baked Oatmeal
- Rhubarb Tart
- Strawberry Rhubarb Shandy
- Strawberry Rhubarb Tarts
- Strawberry Rhubarb Bars
Ingredients
- 1 pounds fresh rhubarb , (approx. three 12-inch long stalks), chopped
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 eggs, large
- 2 egg yolks, large
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 drop pink or red food coloring, (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chopped rhubarb, water, and sugar in a medium pot and bring to a boil (covered) over medium-high heat.
- Remove the lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the rhubarb is very soft and the liquid has reduced by half (approx. 15 minutes).
- Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor.
- Transfer the rhubarb puree to a wide metal bowl,* add the eggs, egg yolks, butter, and salt, and place the bowl over a pot of simmering water.
- Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens and reaches 170 degrees F (approx. 10 minutes).
- Remove the rhubarb curd from the heat and pour it through a fine mesh sieve into a heat-safe bowl.
- Whisk in the food coloring, if using.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the rhubarb curd (to prevent a skin from forming) and chill for 2 hours or overnight.
Notes
- If you use a glass or ceramic bowl, it may take longer for your curd to thicken.
