Unlike all the other Apple Curd recipes out there, this quick and easy spreadable treat actually tastes of apple – not brown sugar and cinnamon! It’s a great way to use bramley or other cooking apples that isn’t just another crumble and this simple recipe is practically fool proof.
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You might well be wondering what I have against cinnamon and brown sugar?! Putting aside the fact that I’m not a cinnamon lover in any way shape or form, its not that I object to curds tasting of apple pie, its just that when I think of apple curd, I want it to taste of apples.
I tested this recipe every which way but Sunday. And it was tricky to make sure that the apple flavour came through. I know that there is no way on earth that any of the other recipes that I looked at could remotely taste of apple. The other added flavours would simply be too overpowering.
So this is my recipe for apple curd. I have however made some notes below for if you want to use my quick and easy curd method but do want some of that added spice.
How to Serve Bramley Apple Curd
Just like all curds, apple curd is super versatile. Its lovely spread on scones for an autumn version of an afternoon tea. Or drizzled onto pancakes or waffles.
It can be swirled into yogurt for a tasty breakfast or spread on toasted fruit bread like I’ve done in the photos on this page. Toasted crumpets are also a delicious carrier as is just regular toast.
You can also make super simple curd tarts using store bought or homemade pastry cases. Simply pile in the curd, top with whipped cream and caramelised apples.
Curd is also delicious used as a trifle layer, cake filling, ice cream topping or cheesecake topping. Those same caramelised apples that I mentioned would also be delicious here!
There are two other things to think about when serving apple curd.
Temperature
Firstly you need to think about the temperature. Curd needs to be stored in the fridge but it is much more delicious served at room temperature. The flavours are dulled when curd is cold so you don’t get the full benefit.
It is also worth noting that if you add heat, the curd will go runny. So unless you’re using a recipe which specifically asks you to heat curd, I would avoid doing this.
Sweetness
No matter how you choose to serve the curd, you will need to bear in mind how sweet it is. Or in the case of this apple curd, how sweet it isn’t.
The more sugar I added to this recipe, the less it tasted of apple. So there is very little added sugar. Using cooking apples means that they are sharper in flavour than regular eating apples although they do have some natural sweetness.
So overall this low sugar curd is pretty tangy and not very sweet. I know this will appeal to many people but it is worth bearing in mind when you are choosing what to pear it with. This is one of the reasons I keep mentioning serving with caramelised apples – that would provide a sweeter element to a dessert.
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Ingredients for Apple Curd
Apples
I tried this recipe with a few different varieties. I started out using regular eating apples but the flavour became lost with the other ingredients. So I moved onto using cooking apples and the tang is exactly what this curd needed.
So you can use any variety of cooking apple. Bramley apples are by far the most common and well known variety in the UK. Jonagold, Jonathan and Golden Delicious are the popular varieties used for cooking in the US.
This recipe doesn’t require the apples to be peeled so give them a good wash before using. The weight given in the recipe refers to the weight of apple needed after the core (and any bruised bits) have been removed.
I found that 450g of whole apples yielded 400g of useable flesh and skin.
Butter
It is important to use real block butter in this recipe. Using anything spreadable or a margarine will affect the set and therefore thickness of the curd.
It is also important to note that I always sue salted butter in cooking and baking. This recipe does need the salt. So if you insist on using unsalted butter, please add a small sprinkle of sea salt at the same time that the butter is added to the apples.
Lemon Juice
The lemon juice isn’t intended to be a main flavour in this curd. It is largely there to stop the apple from going brown before you get through chopping all the apples. The flavour is certainly not unwelcome.
It doesn’t matter if you use freshly squeezed or bottle lemon juice. I tend to grab a bottle out the fridge for recipes such as this where the lemon flavour isn’t front and centre.
Eggs
This recipe uses whole eggs to ensure that there is no waste. I used large UK eggs. I would not recommend varying this size as a change in the egg size will affect the set of the curd. To little and it won’t thicken. Too much and it will start tasting eggy.
Sugar
Unlike many apple curd recipes, I only use white sugar in this recipe. Using a brown or even darker sugar like muscovado/molasses sugar will more than overpower the apple flavour.
It does not matter if you use regular/granulated or caster/superfine sugar. You shouldn’t use icing/powdered sugar however as the measurements will be wrong.
This recipe is on the tart side – like a good tangy lemon curd. If you want to increase the sweetness, you can add a little extra sugar if you wish.
Make it Allergy Friendly
This recipe is free from gluten and nuts.
Dairy Free Apple Curd: To make a dairy free curd you simply need to swap the butter in the recipe for a dairy free butter. You do need to make sure that you use a hard block butter and not a margarine type.
Egg Free Apple Curd: Unfortunately like traditional curd recipes, this recipe relies on eggs as part of it’s body. texture and taste. If you are looking for an egg free curd, I’d recommend looking for a dedicated recipe.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
Apple Pie Flavoured Curd
I’ve talked a lot about how this recipe is very fresh and full of apple flavour. But what if you do want to evoke an old school apple pie instead?
It is actually quite easy. First off you do need to replace the sugar with brown sugar. I would recommend doubling the quantity for that true caramelly taste.
And then it is a case of adding spices. A tablespoon of mixed spice added to the apples at the very beginning of the recipe would be right. Mixed spice is a spice blend which is common in the UK. It should not be confused with allspice which is a specific spice made from a berry. Simply adding a little nutmeg would evoke a classic British apple pie flavour profile.
There are many dedicated apple pie spice blends available in the US – usually involving cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. And sometimes with cardamom and ginger too. A pumpkin spice blend would also be a good option. Otherwise simply adding cinnamon would do the job nicely.
Tangy Apple Curd Tips
The smaller you cut the apple, the quicker it will cook down. Because of this I aim for a fine chop to make the recipe as quick as possible.
Saying this, you do also need to work quickly to cut the apple. Placing it in the saucepan with the lemon juice and water as you cut will help to prevent browning. But the quicker you can get going cooking, the better.
Once you add the eggs, crack on with the blending sharpish. I’ve never found that the eggs are terribly stressed about joining the warm butter and sugar. But I wouldn’t chance it for too long.
If you do find that the mixture breaks or splits during the final heating and thickening stage, simply give it another blitz with the blender. It should come back together perfectly.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
Quick & Easy Apple Curd Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 400 g Bramley Apples - after core removed – around 450g whole
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 120 ml Water
- 100 g Salted Butter
- 3 tbsp Sugar
- 2 Eggs - large
Instructions
- Rinse, quarter then core 400g Bramley Apple. You do want this weight to be after they have been cored. You do not need to peel the apples.
- Cut into fine dice and add to a medium saucepan. Once the first quarter is chopped, add 2 tsp Lemon Juice and 120ml Water to the pan and toss in the lemon juice. Keep adding chopped apple and coating in the lemon water until all the apple is chopped. Try to work quick so the uncut apple doesn't brown.
- Cook the apples over a medium heat until the pieces are soft enough to easily squash with a spatula – around 5-10 minutes.
- Add 100g Salted Butter and 3 tbsp Sugar to the apples.
- Continue to stir over the heat until the sugar and butter have melted – around 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a large jug or blender jug ready to puree.
- Use a stick blender or regular blender to puree the apple mixture until it is as smooth as possible.
- Add 2 Eggs and blend again until everything is incorporated.
- Strain the mixture back into the saucepan. This will remove the remaining pieces of apple skin skin.
- Stir the mix over the heat until it has thickened. You can raise the heat a little at the beginning to get the heat up. And you can continue to adjust the heat so that the mixture is no hotter than a very light simmer. If you are underconfident, keep the heat low – it will just take longer to thicken. Keep stirring and make sure to keep scraping along the bottom of the pan. Do not walk away or take your eyes of the pan.
- The curd is ready once it coats the back of a spoon or spatula. This should take no more than 8 to 10 minutes. You will know it is ready when it stops getting any thicker.
- Take the curd off the heat and pour into jars or storage containers.
Sally says
Have you tried making it using apple cider instead of water to increase the apple flavor even more…I will try it both ways and see which I like better.
Jo Keohane says
Love the idea of apple curd! Great recipe for autumn – wonder what it would be like on apple cider donuts we get here?
Janice says
I have an apple tree and I’m always looking or different ways to preserve the apples. I love this apple curd and the clear instructions make it so easy to make.
Lesley says
I’m a huge fan of curds, but never thought about apple curd before, delicious with a cinnamon scone.