Makes about 700 g
INGREDIENTS
(1 lb 9 oz/2 cups)
110 g (3¾ oz/½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
4 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
125 g (4½ oz) unsalted butter, cubed
pulp from 8 passionfruit, strained
juice of ½ lemon
METHOD
1 In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisk the sugar, eggs and egg yolks together until pale.
2 Now whisk in the butter, cube by cube, and keep whisking over the heat: the butter will melt and the mixture will gradually thicken to a nice, custardy texture.
3 Finally, whisk in the passionfruit pulp and lemon juice and wait for the curd to thicken up again, then immediately transfer it to a bowl (if using straightaway) or sterilised jars, covering the surface with plastic wrap so it doesn’t form a skin as it cools.
Cooks tip
To transport, spoon the curd into small screw-top jars, giving them a bonnet of muslin (cheesecloth) tied with string, if you like. Pop in your basket and away you go. Remind the recipient to keep their jar of curd in the fridge, and to eat it within 2 weeks.
Recipes and Images from Special Delivery by Annabel Crabb and Wendy Sharpe, published by Murdoch Books