Orange Curd

5 from 6 ratings

This orange curd is so easy to make and is absolutely delicious! It has a rich, silky texture that's perfectly balanced with a bright citrus flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Additional Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Frosting & Fillings

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 1/4 cups

Calories: 108kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Orange Curd

2/3 cup granulated sugar 133g
3 Tbsp orange zest - zest of 2 large oranges 15g
6 large egg yolks or 3 large eggs 165g
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice - juice of 2 large oranges; preferably Cara Cara oranges 120g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1 Tbsp pieces 113g

Recommend Equipment

Instructions

Orange Curd

Add 2/3 cup of sugar into a saucepan. One quick thing to note! When making the orange curd, it's best to use a saucepan that's ceramic as opposed to metal. Some metal pans can give the curd a metallic taste.
Zest 2 large oranges into the saucepan and massage the zest into the sugar with your fingertips. This helps release the oil in the zest and gives this curd a bright, citrusy flavor.
Add in 6 egg yolks or 3 large eggs and whisk the mixture together until the ingredients are combined. Then mix in 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice and 1/2 tsp salt.
Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the mixture thickens. This usually takes me 20-25 minutes (it can vary a lot based on the type and size of pan you use!). In the first 10-15 minutes, it won't seem like much is happening, but it'll start to thicken slowly after that, I promise! It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon once it's ready.
Remove the pan from heat, then add 1/2 cup of cold butter that's been cut into small pieces. Mix until the butter is fully melted, and the ingredients are combined.
Then pour the orange curd through a fine mesh strainer into a separate bowl to remove any bits of cooked egg, zest, or orange seeds. This gives it a perfectly smooth texture! Don't forget to scrape the bottom of the sieve to make sure you don't waste any of the orange curd.
Place the orange curd in the fridge to cool and thicken before using it. If you make this recipe in advance, cover it flush with plastic wrap to prevent it from forming a skin and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Video

Notes

Substitutions and Swaps

If you need to make any substitutions or swaps in this recipe, please check out the section on ingredient substitutions in the post above.

How Much Orange Curd Does This Recipe Make?

One batch of this recipe makes a little over 1 1/4 cups of orange curd.

This recipe can be cut in half, in thirds, or doubled as needed. Note that the cook time will change based on the size of the batch.

Tips for Making the Best Orange Curd:

Massage the orange zest into the sugar with your fingertips. It helps release the oil in the zest and gives this orange curd an amazing flavor!
If you don't have leftover egg yolks to use up, you can use 3 large whole eggs in place of the egg yolks.
Stir the mixture continuously as it cooks over the stovetop to prevent the eggs from cooking through and to prevent the mixture at the bottom of the pan from burning.
Use yolks from brown eggs if possible! They have a deeper yellow color and will naturally give the orange curd a brighter color.
Pour the orange curd through a fine mesh strainer once it's done cooking to remove any bits of cooked egg, zest, or orange seeds. This will give it a perfectly smooth texture.
Use Cara Cara or blood oranges to give the orange curd a stronger, naturally orange color.
Let the orange curd cool fully and thicken before using it to fill desserts.

Making This Orange Curd in Advance and Storage Tips

The orange curd can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in the fridge.

You can also freeze this orange curd for up to a month. Transfer it to the fridge to let it gradually thaw before using it.

Nutrition