Are there still raspberries at your farmers’ market? Every week I show up expecting them to be gone, but still they linger on. Local, Northwest-grown raspberries—soft and sweet, they almost dissolve in the mouth.
I am going to be sad when they are gone for the season.
My two-year-old niece is learning the sad lesson of seasonal fruit this year. Last weekend, as they drove by the farmers’ market, she looked out the window and said sadly, “Bye-bye apricots. No more now.”
I’m okay with saying goodbye to the apricots, but the raspberries—oh, the raspberries! I will really miss them.
The other week, however, I was lucky enough to receive a jar of raspberry curd made by the lovely Olaiya Land, Seattle caterer extraordinaire and good friend of Molly and Brandon. Olaiya was clever enough to preserve some of those beautiful berries in a creamy spread that captures the sweet-tart flavor of the fruit. It melts in the mouth as well, and reminds me of a summer’s day.
This stuff is gorgeous—I can honestly say that. Stirred into yogurt, spread on toast, or drizzled over pancakes, I am the newest devotee of raspberry curd.
In fact, I can think of no better way to start a weekend than with raspberry curd melted on top of Zazie lemon ricotta pancakes that are at once moist and light and tender. This, my friends, is breakfast bliss.
I’m no dummy, when something is this good I jump onboard—especially when those berries keep on hanging around. The other day I bought two baskets of berries and got to work, simmering them down with butter and eggs and a bit of sugar (half of what the original recipe called for, because I like the tart undertones of the berries).
That gorgeous pink-purple mixture was then strained of seeds until what was left was smooth and sweet—a real summer treat.
I made three jars of it—and will tuck them into the freezer. One will go as a present to a friend, the other will be served at a pancake party soon.
The final jar is to keep for some winter day, when it’s cold outside and it feels like summer is a lifetime away. On that day I’ll taste again the sweet-tart flavor of a sun-warmed raspberry. It will be at once a memory of summer past, and a promise of summer yet to come.
RASPBERRY CURD
2 6-oz baskets of fresh raspberries
1 cup sugar (more as desired)
4 eggs
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 teaspoon salt
In a medium saucepan, add the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, butter, and salt. Heat on medium and, as the butter begins to melt and the raspberries break down, start whisking. Cook on medium heat until the mixture is uniform and the fruit has softened.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Stirring continually, slowly add 1/2 cup of the fruit mixture to the eggs. Mix to incorporate.
While whisking continually, slowly add the eggs back into the raspberry mixture. Stir constantly as the mixture heats and thickens slightly. Don’t let the mixture come to a boil, but small bubbles around the edges are okay.
Taste and add more sugar if desired.
Place a mesh strainer over a large bowl. Pour half the raspberry mixture into the strainer and, using a spatula or spoon, press the solids into the mesh. When all the raspberry curd has been expressed, discard the solids and strain the second half of the mixture.
Refrigerate the raspberry curd until use (it will last about a week), or can it using a hot water bath (I processed mine for about 15 minutes, based on the information I found here). Serve on pancakes, on toast or other baked goods, or stirred into plain yogurt. Curd can also be frozen, for up to a year.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups
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Yum! I adore curds, and I’ve never tried raspberry before.
I have only made lemon curd and I love the idea of making all kinds. Your raspberry curd looks so heavenly! tahnsk for reminding me that there are way more curds than just lemon.
I just bought some raspberries last week – I keep expecting to not find any as well! I’ve never made raspberry curd, and I love how yours captures that beautiful ruby hue!
never seen them in our stores, will drool over your curd
The raspberries are past here, but I will keep this recipe for next summer. I’m not a jam or jelly person, but the color and texture of this curd are too beautiful to resist.
I shouldn’t admit this secret since I preach the locavore message so often. But I can’t resist the imported berries when they go on sale in the off season. I mean, they’ve already been trucked here so wouldn’t it be a pity to waste them? That said, there is no match for the local, fully ripened berries you get at the market in the summer time!
love the color.
oh…I’m hungry…
Yum – what a fabulous idea!
We still have raspberries, but suddenly an influx of these gorgeous damson plums! I can’t figure out the fruit season here, but I’ll take ‘em!
I’ve been wanting to try my hand at curds (something about the name, I think; “curd” just sounds so interestingly textured, and so fascinatingly like something that shouldn’t be made out of fruit), so this recipe came at the perfect time.
Oooh, Tea, those photos make me feel all happy inside. I’m tempted to be jealous because raspberries are very expensive in France all year long (I guess they don’t grow them all that much), but, nope, I’m just so happy you’re enjoying them! Have some raspberry curd for me!
pancake porn is the very best kind of porn.
Oh, the color! I’m going to try making this!
yowza. sounds fabulous. Out in the midwest, our raspberries are hanging on, but just not that great, and I bought a pint of blackberries last week that were sour and such a disappointment… boo. Yours look lovely, so I’ll just have to imagine
Wow, does that look good. How long did you process the curd in a hot water bath canner. I have a canning fairy godmother too!
Beautiful colour!
I’ll miss the raspberries too…
so pretty and tasty! i recently tried my hand at making curd…and i think i am smitten.
This looks delicious! I am going to have to try this soon.
How long did you leave them in the canning boiling water bath?
I totally want to make this en masse. I have a lot of raspberries.
Judith–aren’t they great? I want to try blackberry next.
Ivy–my pleasure, I think you’ll enjoy branching out:-)
Anita–isn’t it a pretty color?
Kat–that’s a shame, but you have the world’s best peaches as a trade off:-)
Lydia–it’s pretty gorgeous, I must admit. Blackberry is my next attempt.
Dana–I dunno, the imported ones always look like a mere shadow of their local summer selves. My policy is to wait–then gorge (and freeze!).
Ellen–lovely, isn’t it? I want a sweater that color…
Tadmack–Damson plums do sound gorgeous!
Savannah–it’s a funny name, isn’t it. But definitely delicious!
Hopie–only if you’ll have some cheese for me:-)
Grace–I never thought about it, but you’re right!
Zoomie–go for it!
Elizabeth–think recipe might just bring out the best in substandard berries, if you want to give it a try. I need to get myself out blackberry picking!
Sweetpea–I did it for 15 minutes, based on the rec from the National Center for Home Food Preservation website. The curd should be used within 4 months. It can also be frozen.
Brilynn–it’s going to be a long haul until next summer (sigh:-).
Cindy–an easy thing to become smitten with I think!
12156…–hope you enjoy it!
Larissa–I left them in for 15 minutes (as was recommended here). The should be used within 4 months if canned, but if you freeze it will last a full year (or so they say). Good luck!
No other word than: gorgeous, to describe the colour and what I can only imagine the combination of tart and sweet. Lovely idea!
there is something about canning that always brings a melancholy to me… perhaps the memories of summer vacation ending while i helped my mom with canning tomatoes, fruit, even fresh tuna in olive oil that we used to pick up at the pier… but I am an autumn lover so there is also excitement that comes with it.
the color of these photos is stunning… i want to wear those colors.
Yummy! The raspberry so beautiful.
The “RASPBERRY CURD” recipe is it similar the jam.
sounds delicious! i have made passion fruit curd before which i really love but must try your raspberry curd!
This look so delicious—my mouth is watering. What a treat to have on hand for later…
Oh my, this looks absolutely ridiculous. Ridiculous delicious. Raspberries are really nature's gift to us! I can't make to try this (and top off some ricotta pancakes with it!)
Luscious. I now have a mission for the weekend! And I've got the perfect farm eggs for the job.
So glad you referenced this in a more recent post. I love raspberries with pancakes, and they're good but never quite right when you add them in whole, fresh. This looks amazing. It's probably getting a bit late for raspberries at the markets, but I'll be planning to make this next year for sure!
raspberries oh gawd its been awesome to taste and pretty good color.. Attractive too
Fabulous, totally fabulous – absolutely divine on pavlova, thanks for the recipe