Passion Fruit Curd & Other Fruit Curds
Passion Fruit Curd is just one variation of this adaptable recipe. Fruit curds can be made with citrus fruit, mango, passion fruit, pineapple, and others. Curds are easy to make and so versatile in the kitchen.
My custom cake business, Cake Art Studio, had a fairly large menu of cake flavors. One of the most popular was the Luscious Lemon Cake and that cake is now one of the most popular recipes on Baking Sense.
The base for that wonderful cake is a really great lemon curd recipe. If you’ve got extra egg yolks, you can make this Yolks Only Lemon Curd.
Citrus juices make wonderful curd and lemon curd is a pastry kitchen staple, but passion fruit curd is one of my favorites. I just adore the floral tropical flavor.
Passion Fruit Curd is the perfect filling for Coconut Cake and Coconut Macaroons.
It’s a bit of work to get the juice from fresh passion fruit, and passion fruit can be a little expensive. But if you’re looking to make a tart or cake with an unusual flavor, I think it’s well worth the effort.
Scroll through the step by step photos to see how to make Passion Fruit Curd (and other fruit curds):
Tips for making Passion Fruit Curd and other types of Fruit Curd:
- Always combine the sugar with the eggs before adding the fruit juice. If you add the juice to eggs without the sugar, the acidic juice will “cook” the eggs.
- The gelatin is optional. Instructions for blooming gelatin can be found here.
- If you’re using the curd for a spread or sauce you don’t need the gelatin.
- Use the gelatin when you don’t want the curd to be oozy, like in a cake or tart that will be sliced.
- It’s not necessary to cook the curd on a double boiler.
- You can cook the curd directly on the stove as long as you keep the heat on medium-low and stir constantly to avoid burning.
- When the curd is ready it should coat the spatula or spoon.
- The curd will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator and can be frozen for several months.
The recipe can be adapted to make other fruit curds. See the notes section of the recipe card for an all purpose fruit curd recipe.
For inspiration, here are some of my favorite recipes that use all sorts of fruit curds: Lime Layered Cheesecake, Lemon Filled Shortbread, Pink Grapefruit Meringue Tart, Pina Colada Pie.
Finally, Passion Fruit Curd, and all other fruit curds, make a great topping for Vanilla Ice Cream.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.
Fruit Curd Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin powder (optional)
- 4 oz passion fruit juice (or other fruit juice) (1/2 cup, see notes)
- 10 oz granulated sugar (1 1/4 cups)
- 3 large eggs
- juice from 1/2 lime
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- 3 oz unsalted butter (cut into 1″ chunks)
Instructions
- If you are using the gelatin, bloom 1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin powder in 2 tablespoons cold water in a medium size bowl. Set aside.
- Slice the passion fruits in half. Scoop the pulp out of the shell and put into a blender or food processor. Process the pulp to separate the pulp and seeds. Strain the pulp in a fine mesh strainer. If a lot of pulp is still stuck to the seeds, process them again with a little bit of water. Strain again. You should have about a 1/2 cup of juice. Add water if needed to get to a 1/2 cup.
- Thoroughly whisk together10 oz granulated sugar and 3 large eggs in a medium saucepan. Add the passion fruit juice, juice from 1/2 lime and ⅛ teaspoon table salt.
- Place 3 oz unsalted butter on top of the bloomed gelatin. Put a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and keep it near the stove.
- Heat the egg/juice mixture over medium low heat, stirring constantly. You must be sure to keep stirring across the entire bottom and corners of the pot so the custard does not have a chance to stick. The mixture will start out opaque with a fine white foam over the surface. As it heats up the curd will thicken, become more translucent and the foam will disappear.
- Cook until the curd will coat the back of a wooden spoon and is just beginning to boil. Don't allow it to come to a full boil, just 1 or 2 bubbles and you're ready.
- Immediately remove from the heat and pour through the sieve over the butter and (optional) gelatin.
- Stir until the butter and gelatin are melted and thoroughly incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and cool a bit before putting in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerate until completely cooled. If using gelatin, allow it to sit 8 hours or overnight to gel.
Fruit Curd Variations:
- 1/2 cup juice from mango, guava, pineapple, etc.
- Adjust sugar to taste for the type of juice used. You can always use the juice from 1/2 a lime or lemon to spark the flavor. I like to use lime with mango and lemon with guava.
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This looks great but is there something I can use in place of gelatin to help firm the curd? I am allergic to gelatin and need to avoid it. Thanks so much!
Hi Pam. The gelatin is only needed if you want to make the curd hold it’s shape, like if you’re putting in a cake cake. You could try adding an extra egg which should make it set thicker. Here’s an article that I found that lists vegetarian alternatives for gelatin. Perhaps one of them would work for you?
I had not seen this article. You are wonderful! Thank you.
You’re quite welcome.
Hi there, looking to use some gelatin to firm up my raspberry curd although not sure how much to use? My recipe is 300g frozen raspberries, 110g sugar 2 tablespoons cornflour, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, 2 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of butter. Followed above but still not firm enough for layer cake. Can you help me out? Thanks in advance
The problem with using cornstarch as a thickener is that when you stir the curd after it’s been set you’ll break the mixture so the water leaks out. If you’re interested you can read more about it in my Pastry Cream post. That’s why I use gelatin for curd. Corn starch is better suited to something like pudding (the US definition of “pudding” i.e., custard). Generally, a tablespoon of gelatin will set 2 cups of liquid. But that set is quite firm, like a jello mold. You’re recipe as listed, has about 15 oz of juice/sugar. My curd recipe has about the same amount. Although 15-16 oz is close to 2 cups of liquid, I only use 1 1/2 teaspoons of gelatin. First of all the eggs help thicken the curd. Also, I don’t want a super firm, jello like texture for the curd. I would suggest you start with removing the cornflour (cornstarch). Bloom 1 1/2 teaspoons of powdered gelatin in the water. Add the bloomed gelatin to the hot curd along with the butter. See how it turns out and nudge up or down the amount of gelatin to get the texture that you like. Let me know how it turns out.
I used your recipe and made amazing curd with my instant pot. I have made Lemon, Key lime, Lilikoi, Guava & Mango. All from local fruit. Waiting to try Pineapple and Coconu it has been a perfect cake filling
Mahalo from Hawi Hawaii!
That sounds amazing, Nancy. I have to admit that I don’t own an instant pot and I’m starting to feel like I need to take the plunge and see what all the excitement is about. What is lilikoi? I’ve never heard of it. I’m fruit-obsessed so always love discovering new fruits.
Lilikoi is passion fruit. We call it Lilikoi in Hawaii I also made this curd with lilikoi from the vine in our yard. I made the gelation version to fill a cake. It was superb. Thank you. Onto strawberry guava curd, which is a popular combo here in Hawaii.
I can’t tell you how jealous I am as I sit here is snowy Pennsylvania! Strawberry guava sounds amazing. I love guava curd with coconut cake!
Do you have a recipe for strawberry guava curd? I would LOVE to have one! Our tree is producing so much I need to create new yummies!
There are instructions for making guava curd in the notes section of the recipe card. You can replace some of the guava puree with strawberry puree to make Strawberry/Guava.
Hi! I am excited to try this recipe with guavas. I can buy guava pulp in the frozen section of my supermarket. Would you use the same amount of guava (1/2 cup)?
Hi Oli. Yes, I would use the same amount if the pulp is thin like a juice. Is the pulp unsweetened? You may have to adjust the sugar a bit depending on the sweetness of the pulp. I have made guava curd before and I think I might have used a little lime juice to spark the flavor. Guava curd is AMAZING in coconut cake.
This looks like a great recipe. I’m about to give it a try and am experimenting with a couple other flavors like blueberry. Have you ever tried strawberry? I’m kinda assuming i will have to reduce strawberry puree so that the flavor comes out stronger
Thanks again!
Hi Jacob. I have not done strawberry specifically but I agree that you might want to reduce the juice to get a better flavor. Also adding a little lemon juice will enhance the flavor of the strawberry.