This tangy, tropical flavored Pineapple Curd is an easy to make sweet treat that works wonderfully as a cake or cupcake filling, sweet roll filling, fruit dip and so much more! All you need to make this flavorful fruit curd is eggs, egg yolks, canned pineapple juice, sugar, cornstarch, and butter!
Sweet and tangy pineapple curd is a delicious dessert spread or cake filling!
Pineapple Curd Recipe
I do love all things pineapple! It's one of my favorite fruits to enjoy, fresh or canned, either way I'm a big fan! I also absolutely adore fruit curds and making homemade cake fillings, so making this pineapple curd was a natural next step in combining so many of those things I love!
For a super creamy pineapple curd, use the canned pineapple juice. I am using pureed canned crushed pineapple for my curd, as I wanted the pineapple texture to still be present for my dessert filling.
Why am I only talking about canned pineapple products? Because fresh pineapple has the enzyme bromelain ( which I also talked about in my super tasty sweet and sour sauce ). Bromelain will prevent cornstarch from thickening your curd. It will also prevent gelatin from firming up.
However, the heating process during canning pineapple inactivates the bromelain. To do this at home, if you wanted to use fresh pineapple, you would need to heat your pineapple or pineapple juice to 158ºF ( 70ºC ) and then follow along with the recipe below.
How To Make Pineapple Curd
Combine all of the ingredients including: eggs, egg yolks, sugar, canned pineapple juice ( or pureed canned crushed pineapple ) and cornstarch. Leave the butter for adding at the end, after the pineapple curd has been cooked.
If you are using unsalted butter, you will want to add a pinch of salt to the curd mixture. Whisk the mixture making sure that the cornstarch is fully dissolved and the mixture is thoroughly combined.
Transfer the pineapple curd mixture into a heavy bottom saucepan and heat over medium high heat. Switch your whisk to a spatula so that you can scrape the saucepan bottom and sides best to prevent the curd from sticking or clumping best.
Cook the curd for about 7 - 10 minutes, stirring constantly, or until it clings to your spatula or spoon and has reached a slightly-thinner-than-pudding consistency. *Lift your saucepan away from the heat, or reduce the temperature slightly, if needed to keep the curd from cooking too quickly. I have also used a double boiler method with my curds that works wonderfully!
Remove the saucepan with curd from heat when it reaches a thickened consistency. Stir in the first half of the cold, cubed butter until melted. Then add the second portion and stir in until it has melted as well, and your pineapple curd is smooth and creamy in appearance.
Straining your curd is optional, I have not strained my pineapple curd shown here as I wanted the additional texture from the pureed crushed pineapple that I used. Strain your curd, if desired, through a fine mesh sieve and into a small bowl. This will remove any bits of 'scrambled egg' that may have formed during the heating process.
Cover the bowl of curd with a sheet of plastic cling film wrap, letting the cling film settle into the bowl and onto the surface of the pineapple curd. You can also press across the surface gently to make sure that the entire surface area is well covered. This will prevent a 'skin' forming on the curd surface.
Place the covered bowl of curd into your refrigerator and chill for at least two hours before serving. I like to serve or use my pineapple curd after about 6 hours of chilling time, and find that the texture is best for filling cakes after the curd has been allowed to set up fully overnight.
Storage of Pineapple Curd
Store your curd in an air tight container, and keep it refrigerated between use. The curd is best used within 3 - 4 days, but will last for about a week when stored properly. If stored in sterilized and sealed jars, the curd can keep for up to three weeks if the jars are left sealed and refrigerated.
More Great Recipes Using Pineapple
- Pineapple Sunshine Cake
- Pineapple Bars
- Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade {Juicer Recipe}
- Hawaiian Burger {with Teriyaki & Grilled Pineapple}
Pineapple Curd
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup crushed pineapple (pureed, or use pineapple juice - must be canned)
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter (¼ cup or ½ stick of butter, cubed)
Instructions
- In a medium to large size mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, canned pineapple juice (or canned crushed pineapple puree) and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is completely dissolved and the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the curd mixture to a saucepan (heavy bottom saucepans work best to distribute the heat evenly and not burn the curd). Heat the curd over medium high heat and use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom, stirring constantly while cooking. It will take about 7-10 minutes for the curd to thicken, enough so that it clings to your spatula or spoon. *It will be a slightly thinner consistency than pudding.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the butter, in two 2 tablespoon portions of the butter. Add the first immediately and stir until it is melted, then add the second portion of butter and stir again until well combined and creamy.
- Once combined, strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve (if desired, I opted for leaving some texture in mine) into a small bowl.
- Cover the pineapple curd with a sheet of plastic cling film wrap, allowing the cling film to settle onto the top surface of the pineapple curd. This prevents a 'skin' from forming as the curd chills.
- Place the covered bowl of curd into your refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Storage of Pineapple Curd
Store your curd in an air tight container, and keep it refrigerated between use. The curd is best used within 3 - 4 days, but will last for about a week when stored properly. If stored in sterilized and sealed jars, the curd can keep for up to three weeks if the jars are left sealed and refrigerated.Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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