Rhubarb Curd ♥
Today's fun and easy rhubarb recipe: A take-off on lemon curd, not quite so tart but definitely "rhubarb sour" and with gorgeous color, especially in this easy and oh-so-pretty parfait.
Who says that lemon curd has to be made with lemons? Ahh, well yes, of course, lemon curd must be made with lemons and in my world, always always as Brown Sugar Lemon Curd, my Canadian family's signature recipe. But a couple of years back, my dear friend Mary served a couple of fruit curds for a book club dessert and while I've lost track of those recipes (mango perhaps? raspberry?), the idea of a fruit curd stuck.
Enter a handful of beautiful rhubarb from last Saturday's trip to the farmers market. Rhubarb custard pie? Muffins? (I'm still on the hunt for my go-to rhubarb muffin recipe. Rhubarb lovers, I'd love to try your muffin recipe if you'd be willing to share, especially if it's less-sweet and made with at least some whole-grain flour.) My mom's rhubarb bars or rhubarb torte? Instead I settled on this simple curd. Great call, Alanna!
RHUBARB REPORT So the beautiful Canadian Red rhubarb hauled from Minnesota (thank you, Auntie Meryl!) to Missouri last year is still alive, despite: a hot-hot-hot and dry-dry-dry summer in 2011; a neophyte weeder who luckily stopped short of digging up those "weeds with pretty leaves"; and just last week, a blast of Round-Up from a clueless rhubarb-hater. YIKES. The good news is, mine is no hothouse rhubarb, it is TOUGH stuff. Pies to come!
RECIPE for RHUBARB CURD
Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Makes 2 cups
Time to table: 30 minutes
Makes 2 cups
3/4 pound rhubarb (about 6 stalks), trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1/4 cup water
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup (100g) sugar (see TIPS)
Zest of a lime or lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice or lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small bits if cold
Cook the rhubarb, 1/4 cup sugar and water in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring often, until the rhubarb is very soft. Transfer to a small food processor and blend until smooth.
Heat an inch or two of water in the base of a double boiler (see TIPS). Off heat, in the top bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Whisk in the 1/2 cup (or less) sugar, zest and citrus juice. A tablespoon at a time at first, whisk the rhubarb mixture into the egg mixture. Place the top bowl onto the base and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture comes to a simmer and thickens (see TIPS).
Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Chill until ready to serve.
GREEK YOGURT PARFAIT with RHUBARB CURD & BROWN SUGAR LEMON CURD
Greek yogurt, thinned a little with buttermilk
Brown Sugar Lemon Curd
Rhubarb Curd
Whipped Cream
Spoon the Greek yogurt (and if you like, the curds, see TIPS) into a freezer bag. Snip the corner and squeeze into wine glasses or parfaits. Spoon or squeeze a layer of lemon curd, then more Greek yogurt, then a layer of rhubarb curd, then whipped cream.
ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
SUGAR Next time I'll mix just 1/4 cup sugar into the egg yolks, I happen to love rhubarb's distinctive sourness.
DOUBLE BOILER? The inspiring recipe specified a double boiler for cooking the combined egg and rhubarb mixtures. Since mine was already out, I did use it but I have NO trouble cooking lemon curd in a saucepan directly on the heat so can't imagine why this would be any different. However -- DO use medium, not medium-high, heat and DO stay very attentive. In fact, I'd recommend stirring continuously -- and "continuous" means without interruption versus "continual" which means again and again.
THICKENING This rhubarb curd doesn't thicken in the pot as noticeably as lemon curd, but it does come to a simmer.
PARFAITS To make the parfaits pretty, it really helped to use a freezer bag for the Greek yogurt. Both my curds were soft enough, however, that I didn't find that necessary for them.
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famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2012
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2012
deep sigh...When I was growing up in western Massachusetts, my mother had a large clump of rhubarb near the back door. How I remember pulling up the stalks and preparing it for cooking it into sauce with just enough sugar to make it edible? deep sigh. If and when I find it in the markets here in south Florida the price makes it a luzury to be indulged in a couple of times a year. deep sign. I enjoyed reading your curd receipe. thank you.
ReplyDeleteMyrna Sossner, West Palm Beach, FL
Here's a recipe I like. My apologies to the author, but I cannot remember where I got this recipe originally.
ReplyDeleteRHUBARB MUFFINS (A Healthier Version)
1 cup finely chopped rhubarb
1/4 cup sugar
1 T. baking powder
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ cup nonfat (skim) milk
1 egg
½ cup whole wheat flour
2 T. light vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Combine milk, egg and oil. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix until moistened. Spoon into muffin cups or lightly oiled muffin tins.
Bake at 350F for 25 minutes.
Hi Alanna
ReplyDeleteAutumn here, just saw rhubarb at the market, three stalks for $5, guess I'll be waiting for spring.
I make the Rhubarb Muffin Royale I found online more than 10 years ago. It can still be found online. It's about two thirds down the right hand group of recipes in this link:
http://www.recipelink.com/mf/0/22685
I cut the brown sugar back by 1/4 cup but you could probably ease it back more. I don't usually add the topping, another way to get the sugar load down, and in this case I add the cinnamon and the ginger to the dry ingredients. I toss the diced rhubarb with the dry ingredients as I find this helps prevent clumping and I tend to dice it quite small, to get even distribution. I don't make them often and when I do I make small muffins, this recipe certainly isn't as lo-cal as the healthy version above. Tried many recipes til I found this one, which has been my go- to one all these years because they are tender and the flavour is really good.
Myrna ~ Ah yes, I do think rhubarb is a northern thing, I so wish I could send you some, right now!
ReplyDeleteHeidi & Robyn ~ I think I'd best check my rhubarb patch, there's two recipes that definitely need trying. Thanks so much!
Thanks for giving me use for rhubarb rather than just the usual torte/crisp! Cheers~
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I was just looking at a stalk of rhubarb and wondering what I could turn it into. Love the small amount of sugar and the addition of walnuts.... oh man, I'm allergic to walnuts :/ how about pecans, do you think that would work?
ReplyDeleteI keep seeing recipes for lemon curd - I'm missing out. Especially since I adore lemon in any form.
ReplyDeleteHi--I just discovered your blog when I googled for a recipe for butternut squash with mango. I immediately bookmarked your website, as it looks wonderful! I love rhubarb, and my very kind next-door neighbor lets me take all I want from her patch. Our favorite way to have it (aside from rude stewbarb, as our toddlers called it) is the Rhubarb Dumplings on the Taste of Home website. A bit fussy to make, but very yummy.
ReplyDeleteI love rhubarb! I love lemon curd! I have never made my own lemon curd, but am willing to give it a try!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant recipe - I never thought to make a rhubarb curd. It'll be awhile before I get to this, but I'll definitely be trying this at some point. And you've reminded me, I need to plant rhubarb! It grows pretty well here and is so easy to take care of. Really good post - thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi! I love this recipe, it's a favorite at my house. I was was wondering, what could I substitute for the eggs? I want to take this to a party I'm attending, but some of the guests will be vegan so eggs will be a no-go...
ReplyDeleteStacy ~ “I love this recipe.” My favorite words! Thanks for letting me know. I’m a little bit stumped on your question because four eggs are “a lot” of egg to make a substitute for. But let’s think through what the eggs add to curd. First, thickener. Second, richness. And hmm, I was going to say mouthfeel but I guess that falls under richness. I know others have luck with the so-called “flax eggs” but I’ve not had good luck and I think the flax would ruin the curd’s texture. Cornstarch or arrowroot could be the thickener and I’d also cook the rhubarb down until quite thick too. Then I’d add a tablespoon or two of butter for further thickening and richness. Most of all? I’d allow time for a test run or two, especially for a party. Or pick another recipe that doesn’t need adjusting. :-) I just checked my own rhubarb recipes, they all call for eggs. Let me know what you do!
ReplyDelete