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Rhubarb Curd

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Rhubarb curd is a spring favourite! Creamy, tart, and sweet, use it on toast, on ice cream, stirred into yogurt, in between cake layers, and so much more.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Setting Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 45 minutes
A jar of rhubarb curd with a wooden spoon inside.

Everything is turning green, the tree buds are popping, and I can FINALLY make rhubarb curd again! Rhubarb curd is one of my favourite things to eat and I look forward to it all year long.

I feel like rhubarb is an antithesis to our world of instant access. We can order anything we want, any time of year, and have it delivered to our homes within days. But not rhubarb. For rhubarb we must patiently wait.

You can’t buy fresh rhubarb in the summer, fall, or winter. I mean, sure, you can freeze chopped rhubarb in the spring. You can make rhubarb simple syrup or maple rhubarb cardamom jam year round if you want, but I’d still argue nothing beats fresh cut stalks in shades of bright crimson and green.

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Bunches of fresh rhubarb bound with pink elastic bands.

What Is Curd?

Curd is a silky smooth dessert spread made with fruit (or fruit juice), eggs, sugar, and butter. Lemon curd is incredibly popular, however you can make curd with many different fruits!

Egg yolks and sugar are tempered with hot, cooked fruit, then simmered on the stove (with butter) to thicken. The result is a creamy preserve, perfect for ice cream, scones, toast, and many other things.

Tempering

If you were to add hot cooked rhubarb to whisked eggs yolks, chances are good you’d get hot cooked rhubarb with scrambled egg bits. Tempering means we quickly add very small amounts of something hot to something cool in order to raise its temperature.

When making rhubarb curd, about ½-cup of hot cooked rhubarb is dribbled gradually, in very small amounts, into the egg yolks and quickly whisked together. When all of the hot rhubarb is whisked into the yolks they are tempered. Tempering the yolks means less of a temperature difference between the remaining pot of rhubarb and the yolks, which reduces the risk of “scrambling”.

Hands chopping rhubarb on a small marble cutting board.

Ingredients

  • fresh rhubarb
  • water
  • sugar
  • egg yolks
  • salt
  • butter
Chopped rhubarb and sugar in a pot.

No Rhubarb?

Rhubarb grows abundantly here on the East Coast of Canada, however, I know many places don’t have access to it.

A perennial vegetable, rhubarb grows in the spring (at least it does here in Nova Scotia). We only eat the stalks; Eating rhubarb leaves can make you sick. Rhubarb is very, very tart! Most rhubarb recipes include loads of sugar to offset the sourness.

If you don’t have rhubarb where you live, try this recipe with an equal weight of blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries.

Cooked rhubarb in a pot.

Using A Scale

I’m a recent scale convert! I’ve owned one for years, however, only recently did I begin using it faithfully. Using a scale has been a game changer for me. My recipes are more accurate and yield more consistent results.

If you have a scale try using it for this recipe! The chances of recipes working perfectly the first time increase when you do. If you don’t have a scale, don’t sweat it – I went for years without using mine – but I seriously get more dependable results when I do.

A hand crushing cooked rhubarb with a potato masher.

Separating Eggs

This recipe calls for four egg yolks. My favourite way to separate eggs is to crack all four into a bowl at once and then:

  • Scoop one of the egg yolks from the bowl with a cupped hand.
  • Gently transfer the egg yolk from hand to hand, allowing the egg white to drip down through your fingers, back into the bowl.
  • Keep repeating the transfer of the yolk from hand to hand until as much of the egg white as possible has dripped off of the yolk.
  • Place the yolk in a separate bowl and repeat with the other three eggs.

You can use leftover egg whites to make French macarons, pavlova, or French meringues. They also freeze beautifully. Keep them in a container with a tight fitting lid in the freezer for up to three months.

A hand dripping rhubarb curd into whisked egg yolks.

Whole Eggs vs. Yolks

I use whole eggs in this recipe for Microwave Lemon Curd because it’s fast and easy, however, whole eggs yield a more dense curd. Using only egg yolks makes for a lighter, fluffier curd. I like both versions!

Egg yolks and cooked rhubarb whisked together in a bowl.
Cooked rhubarb with pats of butter on top in a pot.

Using A Thermometer

Many recipes tell you to cook fruit curd until it “coats the back of a spoon” but how long is that exactly? After adding the butter, I’ve had the best results cooking rhubarb curd until it reaches a temperature between 170ºF and 180ºF (76ºC and 82ºC). Once you reach this temperature range remove the rhubarb curd from the heat.

Close up of a jar of rhubarb curd.

Notes & Tips

  • To Get The Brightest Colour—for the brightest colour include as many dark pink pieces of rhubarb as possible. If you have mostly green pieces you can add a small piece of peeled beet to the rhubarb, cook it all together, and remove the beet before mashing. You can also stir in a drop or two of red food colouring after you remove the pot from the heat. Rhubarb curd made with mostly green pieces can look almost grey. The rhubarb curd in this post was made without beet or food colouring, using mostly dark reddish-pink end pieces.
  • Reduce The Sugar—this recipe makes a curd that is balanced between sweet and tart. If you want to reduce the amount of sugar, please note your curd may cook faster than the recipe indicates, and it may not have the same texture as using the full amount.
  • How To Store—this recipe makes about 3 cups of curd. I store mine in jars with lids in the fridge. A batch lasts us roughly a week. I don’t bother with canning. If you prefer, you could double or triple the recipe and put up jars for pantry storage.
  • How Long Does Rhubarb Curd Keep—the curd will last, kept in jars with tight fitting lids, in the fridge for up to one week. Ours is always gone before that.
A wooden spoon with rhubarb curd on a stone surface.

How To Serve Rhubarb Curd

  • Eat it straight up with a spoon.
  • Dollop it onto Strawberry Baked Oatmeal.
  • Use it as a topping for cheesecake.
  • Spread it on Blueberry White Chocolate Scones.
  • Spoon it over pancakes, waffles, or crepes for breakfast.
  • Make homemade donuts and pipe rhubarb curd into the middle.
  • Stir it into plain or vanilla Greek yogurt.
  • Layer it with sponge cake, fresh fruit, and whipped cream to make a trifle.
  • Add a couple of spoonfuls to the top of a dish of ice cream.
Overhead shot of a jar of rhubarb curd.

More Rhubarb Recipes

Did you make this rhubarb curd, or any other recipe on my site? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you made out in the comments below. You can also stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more delicious food and recipes!

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A jar of rhubarb curd with a wooden spoon inside.

Rhubarb Curd

Author: Kelly Neil
Rhubarb curd is a spring favourite! Creamy, tart, and sweet, use it on toast, on ice cream, stirred into yogurt, in between cake layers, and so much more.
4.86 from 7 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Setting Time: 4 hours
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Jams & Preserves
Cuisine European / Canadian
Servings 24 servings
Calories 82 kcal

Special Equipment

  • Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • Medium-large pot
  • Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Potato masher or large fork
  • Digital kitchen thermometer
  • Spoon
  • Glass jars clean, with tight-fitting lids, 750ml total
Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams.

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 cups rhubarb , chopped into 1-inch (2 ½-cm) pieces
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions
 

  • Have clean glass jars, with matching tight-fitting lids, and a total capacity of 3 cups (750ml), ready.
  • Combine the chopped rhubarb, water, and ½ cup (100g) of sugar in a medium-large pot. Cook the rhubarb over medium-low heat until the rhubarb is soft, about 13 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • While the rhubarb is cooking, whisk the egg yolks, salt, and the remaining ½ cup (100g) of sugar in a large mixing bowl until pale and ribbony, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • When the rhubarb is soft, remove it from the heat, and mash it with a potato masher or large fork. Feel free to leave some larger chunks of rhubarb if you like, or you can mash it completely smooth.
  • Scoop out about ½ cup (113g) of hot rhubarb from the pot. Whisking quickly the entire time, slowly dribble tiny amounts of hot rhubarb into the egg yolks, whisking well in between each addition. Repeat until the entire ½ cup of hot rhubarb has been whisked in. Once finished the egg yolks are now "tempered".
  • Stir the tempered egg yolk mixture into the pot of cooked rhubarb. Add the butter to the pot and stir. Return the pot to the stove and cook the curd over medium-low heat until it's thick, creamy, and reaches a temperature between 170ºF and 180ºF (76ºC and 82ºC), about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully spoon the hot curd into the prepared clean jars. Lay the lids over the top of the jars, leaving a small space open for steam to escape. Cool the jars of curd on the counter for about 2 to 3 hours, then tighten the lids, and store in the fridge for up to one week.

Recipe Notes

  • To Get The Brightest Colour – For the brightest colour include as many dark pink pieces of rhubarb as possible. If you have mostly green pieces you could stir in a drop or two of red food colouring after you remove the pot from the heat. Rhubarb curd made with mostly green pieces can look almost grey. The rhubarb curd in the images in this post was made without food colouring.
  • Reduce The Sugar – This recipe makes a curd that is a balance of sweet and tart. If you want to reduce the amount of sugar, please note that your curd may cook faster than the recipe indicates, and may not have the same texture as using the full amount.
  • How To Store – This recipe makes about 3 cups of curd. I store mine in jars with lids in the fridge. A batch lasts us roughly a week. I don’t bother with canning. If you prefer, you could double or triple the recipe and put up jars for pantry storage.
  • How Long Does Rhubarb Curd Keep – The curd will last, kept in jars with tight fitting lids, in the fridge for up to one week. Ours is always gone before that.

Nutrition

Serving: 28gCalories: 82kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 46mgPotassium: 51mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 182IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Let me know on Instagram @kellyneildotcom or tag #kellyneil!

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18 Comments

  1. These look beautiful! I just had lemon curd for the first time on the weekend. Yum! On scones with whipped cream…..delicious! I'm not a huge lemon person though, so I think rhubarb would be a great alternative.

  2. Pretty sure this is one of the coolest foodie honours a gal can receive! So glad I could play a part in getting you hooked. Please keep experimenting, because the grapefruit curd I had today was absolutely sublime! xo

  3. Such vibrant colour on the curd! I don’t know many ways to enjoy rhubarb so I’m glad to come across this to give it a try!

  4. This rhubarb curd is gorgeous! I have never made one, and you convinced me to try! By the time I’ll get back to Edmonton, we’ll have rhubarb from our backyard and I’ll make it. Thank you!

  5. What. This rhubarb curd looks amazing! I didn’t know you could make curd out of rhubarb. Only a few more days until mine is ready to pick!

  6. Looks beautiful! My mom grew rhubarb in our yard in Victoria, BC. It was a HUGE plant! She would stew it and serve with a custard. She would have LOVED this dish. 🙂

  7. This rhubarb curd looks amazing! I bet it would be amazing when mixed into buttercream to make rhubarb buttercream.

  8. I would never have thought to make curd, but I am excited to give it a try. Rhubarb is one of my favorite things, it’s so nostalgic for me as it reminds me of spending time with my grandma in her garden.

  9. I finally planted rhubarb (I love it!) and I can’t wait to make this when I harvest my first batch!

  10. Kelly, I love rhubarb and I’ve got a whole bunch in my fridge. Cannot wait to try this.

  11. Made this today Kelly and it is delicious! Perfect balance of sweet and tart. Took your advice and used the brightest parts of the rhubarb for a beautiful pink colour. Thanks for sharing xx

  12. Thanks for the recipe. I used up some frozen rhubarb and the recipe worked just fine. Used my immersion blender in place of a masher. Really yummy!

  13. Question – does this can well? Sometimes hot water bath canning reduces flavor or changes consistency. I would think it would make lovely gifts for summer birthdays for my foodies…

    1. Hi Laura! Honestly I’m not 100% sure because I haven’t tried canning it myself. It’s so delicious — my favourite seasonal treat of the whole year! If you do make a batch to can I’d love to know either way what you think. 🙂

      1. I’ve canned Lemon curd in half pint jars for Christmas presents. Year after year my family wants LEMON CURD. I am trying this rhubard version soon and intend to can it. Hot water bath – 10 minutes. EAsy! Gerry in S. Oregon

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