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Just before I left for a Christmas and New Year travel marathon, I had a ton of grapefruits sitting on my kitchen countertop, waiting to be used. I hate letting food go to waste, so I had to do something. And that something ended up as this Star Anise and Grapefruit Curd. The result was so delicious, I knew I had to share the recipe with you!
There’s no need to be a pastry chef to enjoy homemade grapefruit curd!
I’ll be honest with you, I’m not much of a baker or pastry chef. Even though I’m an engineer who loves precision and dorks out about weird things like geometric tolerancing and DfM, I don’t particularly care to cook with those same restrictions. Cooking is my time to experiment, throw caution into the wind, and see what happens. Usually it works, and when it doesn’t, nothing catastrophic happens. Worst case, I’ll dig into some leftovers if things turn into a true disaster.
Baking, on the other hand, does not mesh well with this style. Baking, and pastry-related stuff in general, requires measurements, precision, and timing. And when I experiment with baked goods, there are usually several disasters before an ultimate success. Since I’m not much of a sweet tooth anyway, I rarely feel the need to go experimenting with baked goods. But, there are a few exceptions, and this grapefruit curd is one of them.
Curd is surprisingly flexible with regards to ingredient ratios, and lends itself well to my style of experimentation. And as long as you use a double boiler and keep whisking, you’ll get a smooth curd. You can always tweak the flavors afterward; within reason, of course. And curd is a fairly versatile ingredient in its own right, and not just for sweets, so it’s perfect to have on hand in my kitchen – and yours!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Grapefruit
Grapefruits are a citrus hybrid of sweet oranges and pomelos, originating from Barbados. They were first brought to the United States in the 1820s, but didn’t become commercially popular until quite a bit later. But never mind its history, the grapefruit is here to stay with its bright citrus flavor and subtle bitter undertones. Grapefruits are less acidic and sweeter than lemons due to their sweet orange ancestry, and the slight bitterness is from the pomelo half.
Want to switch out the grapefruit for another citrus? Blood oranges would make an excellent option, or check out other citrus varieties at the farmers market.
Star Anise
Star anise has a distinct licorice flavor, despite not being related to licorice at all, and a little bit goes a long way. Only use one pod when making this recipe, and do not break it up into finer pieces, or your curd will get quickly overwhelmed by the flavor of the star anise and not the grapefruit.
If you really hate licorice-like flavors (I can hear you, Mom), try switching out the star anise with some crushed cardamom pods. Cardamom will also pair nicely with the bright flavors of the grapefruit.
Tips and Tricks
You don’t need to buy a fancy double boiler to make this grapefruit curd. Instead, I recommend using a saucepan and a glass mixing bowl you already have on hand. This will create a makeshift double boiler that will function perfectly well. The key, though, for this to work is to not overfill the saucepan with water. If the water hits the bottom of the mixing bowl you will scramble your eggs, rather than create a silky smooth curd.
You can use a metal mixing bowl if you don’t have a glass one on hand, but some people detect a metallic note in the final curd. Glass is non-reactive with acid, so it does not have this issue.
Serving Suggestions
Star Anise and Grapefruit Curd can be eaten by itself as a sort of rich pudding, or it can be used as a base for all sorts of desserts.
Curds are commonly used as a spread on toast or a filling in cakes, pies, and crepes. If you love lemon meringue pie, try substituting this grapefruit curd for the lemon curd and create a new flavor combination. Or you can make bars by using the grapefruit curd in place of the lemon curd in these dessert bars. The dessert possibilities are endless!
You can also use this curd to make dinner! Spread it over chicken and roast it for a perfectly caramelized chicken. Use the method detailed here from NYT Cooking, but use your grapefruit curd instead of the lemon curd. Easy, and flavorful!
What about the leftovers?
Leftover Star Anise and Grapefruit Curd can be stored in a covered container for up to three days in the refrigerator. Like other curds, it also freezes well and can be stored in the freezer for up to three months, making it a perfect way to enjoy citrus outside of its peak season.
Star Anise and Grapefruit Curd
I had a ton of grapefruits sitting on my kitchen countertop, waiting to be used. I hate letting food go to waste, so I had to do something. And that something ended up as this Star Anise and Grapefruit Curd. The result was so delicious, I knew I had to share the recipe with you!
Ingredients
- 1 cup grapefruit juice
- 1 star anise pod
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp grapefruit zest
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp salted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Add the grapefruit juice and star anise pod to a small saucepan on medium heat. Reduce the grapefruit juice in half; ½ cup of grapefruit juice should remain. Remove and discard used star anise pod. Set aside the reduced grapefruit juice to cool.
- In the meantime, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, grapefruit zest, and granulated sugar together in a glass bowl until smooth.
- After the grapefruit juice has cooled slightly, whisk into the egg mixture.
- Set up the double boiler by adding an inch or two of water into a saucepan and bringing that to a boil. Place the glass bowl on top of the saucepan, ensuring that the bowl does not touch the boiling water. Whisk the egg mixture over the heat constantly until the curd begins to thicken, approximately 10 minutes. The mixture should be the consistency of a runny jam.
- Remove the curd from the heat, and stir in the butter. Cover the curd with plastic wrap (you want the plastic wrap to touch the curd itself to prevent a skin from forming) and let cool.
- Curd can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to three months.
