Berry Curd Recipes

Steps:

• Place the blueberries and lime zest in a covered saucepan with 1 tablespoon water and cook gently, shaking the pan occasionally, until very soft (about 10 minutes.). Press through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler, then stir in the butter and sugar and put over a saucepan of gently simmering water; do not allow the bottom of the bowl to sit in the water. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted.
• Strain in the eggs and continue to stir over gently simmering water until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, which should take 30-40 minutes. Stir only occasionally at first, more frequently as the cooking progresses, then constantly toward the end so that the curd cooks evenly and does not curdle. The water must not boil.
• Strain the curd, if necessary, into clean, dry jars. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Sieve raspberries through a strainer, pressing with the back of a spoon; reserve 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon juice. Discard seeds in sieve. , In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; add raspberry juice and butter. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks until well blended. Stir in half of the raspberry mixture. Return all to saucepan; bring to a gently boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes. , Place into small jars; place plastic wrap on surface of curd. Cover and chill. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Add raspberries, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until curd coats the back of a spoon and is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Strain curd through a fine mesh sieve, mashing the raspberries with the back of a spoon.

Steps:

• Place all berries in a blender, and process until smooth. Press berry mixture through a sieve over a medium bowl using the back of a spoon, reserving 1 cup puree; discard seeds. Reserve any of remaining puree for another use; store in the refrigerator.
• Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium, heavy saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Stir in 1 cup puree, juice, and eggs. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add butter, stirring gently until butter melts. Cool.
• Spoon mixture into a medium bowl; cover and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight (mixture will thicken as it cools).

Steps:

• To make the lemon curd: Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a metal or glass heat-resistant bowl and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl over the simmering water, without letting the bottom touch, and continue to whisk. Keep working-out that arm and whisk it vigorously for a good 10 minutes, until the curd has doubled in volume and is very thick and yellow. Don't let it boil. Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the butter, a couple of chunks at a time, until melted. Refrigerate until the custard is cold and firm.
• To build the trifle: put the berries in a mixing bowl and toss them together so they are evenly distributed. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled lemon curd to lighten it up into a mousse. Line a glass trifle bowl with pieces of pound cake to fit. Drizzle or brush the cake with the Limoncello, spoon a layer of the lemon curd over the cake, and then a layer of mixed berries. Repeat the layers until the ingredients are used up, the last layer looks best if it's the berries. Chill before serving. Garnish with fresh mint.

Steps:

• Place oven rack in lowest position, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place large pizza stone on rack, and heat 1 hour while preparing other ingredients. Cut 6 sheets of aluminum foil, each one 8 inches square, and set aside.
• Make the crust: Combine flours, sugar and salt in food processor, and pulse to combine. Remove lid, scatter butter over surface of flour and pulse until butter pieces are no longer visible, 10 pulses of 10 seconds or so each. Turn mixture into mixing bowl, and sprinkle with 4 tablespoons ice water. Toss lightly with fingertips. Gather dough together, and squeeze a small portion with fingers. If dough feels dry, add another tablespoon water, and toss to combine. Turn dough onto work surface, press together firmly and pat into round disk. Cut into 6 wedges. Roll each wedge into a ball, flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours.
• Make the curd: Place small, conical stainless-steel strainer over 2-cup glass measuring cup, and set aside. In small, heavy nonreactive saucepan, whisk egg, yolks and sugar together. Add lemon juice, and whisk to combine. Add zest, butter and salt. Place pan over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture is shiny, opaque and thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat, and stir in cream. Strain immediately into glass measuring cup, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the blueberry filling: Place half the blueberries in medium saucepan. Add cornstarch and sugar, and stir well. Add lemon juice and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until blueberries give up juices, thicken and simmer a bit. Compote will be very thick. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining blueberries. Cool.
• Assemble the crostata: Working 1 piece of dough at a time, flour top and bottom lightly, and roll into thin 8-inch round. Transfer round to a square of foil. Spoon 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of desired filling in center, leaving 2-inch periphery free. Mound fruit in a circle. (Be sure to use all the filling in the 6 crostatas.) Fold dough over to support filling. Place crostata on sheet pan in refrigerator, and continue forming tarts with remaining dough pieces and fruit filling. Refrigerate all 6 crostatas at least 20 minutes.
• Slide 2 or 3 crostatas onto baking stone. Bake until dough is dark golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove, and cool 10 minutes on rack. Repeat with remaining crostatas. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, or add a dollop of whipped cream or a few tablespoons of chilled heavy cream. Serve.