There is nothing like fresh, homemade Mango Curd! It's super smooth, creamy, full of tropical mango flavor, and so much easier to make than you might think.
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🌟 Why this is the best Mango Curd recipe
- It's so simple: People often think that making homemade fruit curd is difficult, but making mango curd is so simple! You only need a handful of pantry essentials and a saucepan. That's it! It takes 10 minutes to make and then you just need to leave it to chill in the fridge.
- It tastes amazing: I never compromise on taste. The intense mango flavor really sings in this recipe, and you get such a hit of that sweet, tropical taste. If you love fruit desserts, you will love mango curd.
- It's super versatile: You can use mango curd in so many ways, trust me when I say that you will finish it in no time! You can spread it onto scones or toasted brioche, use it to fill cakes, or simply eat it out of the jar with a spoon. It can work well with chocolate, vanilla, or other fruits like raspberry.
📝 Ingredient notes
- Mango puree - You can use fresh or frozen mangoes to make the puree, but frozen mangoes may contain more water, affecting the curd's consistency - so drain the mangos if using frozen. Puree the mango chunks and mango pulp in a food processor or blender first, then measure them to get the correct quantity for this curd recipe. Ripe mangoes won't be totally hard to touch; their flesh will have a little give when you press them.
- Lemon juice - This brightens all the flavors and helps to preserve that vibrant mango color. Freshly squeezed lemon juice will have a better flavor than store-bought versions.
- Egg yolks - This is what gives homemade curd recipes their amazingly rich flavor and velvety smooth texture. Always use room-temperature eggs in baking. Wondering what to do with the leftover egg whites when you separate whole eggs? Make homemade macarons or try my pavlova recipe.
- Granulated sugar - Ordinary plain white granulated sugar is fine for this recipe. You may need to adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of the mangoes you're using. Ripe, in-season mangoes will be naturally much sweeter.
- Unsalted butter— Always use unsalted butter in baking to control the quality and quantity of salt in a recipe. I use 82% fat-content European-style butter. Bring this to room temperature before making the easy mango curd recipe. Otherwise, it can take too long to melt into the mango curd mixture, and you risk scrambling the egg yolks in the interim. I find it takes around an hour for butter to come out of the fridge and reach room temperature.
🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
👩🍳 How to make Mango Curd
- Place the mango puree, lemon juice, egg yolks, and white sugar in a heavy-based saucepan over low-medium heat.
- Once the sugar has dissolved into the mixture, add the room-temperature butter in four stages. Stir with a rubber spatula until each addition melts and is fully incorporated.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat stirring constantly with a rubber spatula to prevent the egg yolks from curdling.
- After about 5 minutes, the mixture will thicken to a custard-like consistency and coat the back of a spoon. If you measure the temperature, it should be about 80C / 176F.
- Turn off the heat and pour the cooked mango curd through a sieve to remove any lumps and make it super smooth.
- Pour the homemade mango curd into a clean jar or container and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming on top. Place it into the fridge to cool where it will continue to thicken until you are ready to use it. This will take several hours.
💡 Top Tip: Don't have the heat too high or you can accidentally scramble the egg yolks! Keep the saucepan over low heat if you are worried. And make sure you gently stir continuously as well, to cook the curd evenly.
🍰 How to use Mango Curd
The recipe makes about 1 ½ cups or 330g of mango curd. You can use it to fill cupcakes, as a layer cake filling, or even swirl it into yogurt or homemade ice cream. I have also enjoyed spreading it onto cookies or white chocolate brownies. Try making my famous pate sablee pastry shells and making a mango curd tart or mango curd tartlets topped with chantilly cream.
For breakfast, try it in smoothies, with granola, or on top of oatmeal. Homemade pots of curd also make great gifts or even wedding favors, put into dainty jars tied with a ribbon and a name tag.
Try my lemon curd recipe, which is just as easy and delicious! If you have leftover fruit, you must make my fresh mango tart recipe too.
❄️ Storage and Freezing
Fresh mango curd must be stored in the fridge. Place it in a clean jar or airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week (but it will probably be gone much quicker). Keep the surface covered with plastic food wrap to avoid skin forming on the top.
You can also freeze mango curd for up to three months, but again, cover the surface with plastic wrap first. It is best to defrost fruit curd overnight in the fridge.
🎓 Expert tips
- Measure the ingredients with a digital scale and ensure everything is at room temperature before you begin.
- Weigh the mango after you have made the puree, not before.
- To help mangoes ripen faster, put them in a paper bag on the counter for a couple of days.
- I use a sharp knife to slice the cheeks of the mango on either side of the stone, and then scoop or cut the flesh out. Trim any remaining flesh off the stone to get the most out of your fruit!
- Use a good quality, heavy-based saucepan for good heat distribution which will help you avoid burning the curd.
- For a thicker mango spread, use slightly more butter (½ cup or 110g instead of the quantity listed in the recipe card).
- The curd needs time to cool and set in the fridge, so be patient. Leave it for a few hours at minimum or ideally overnight before using.
- Storing mango curd recipes in sterilized preserving jars will help it to last longer. To sterilize jars, either place them in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or on a tray in the oven at 120C / 250F for 10 minutes.
🥣 Equipment Notes
Always weigh homemade mango curd recipe ingredients by the gram using a Digital scale for precision rather than measuring by volume. Baking is about precision, and the cup system is not accurate enough for the best results.
Make sure your saucepan has good heat distribution and a heavy base, otherwise, it can burn the curd or scramble the egg yolks. If you have concerns, cook the curd in a double boiler instead.
Make sure the water in the saucepan doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir the curd with a rubber spatula to prevent it from curdling as you cook it, and use a thermometer to check that your mango curd is at the right temperature.
❓Recipe FAQs
This is likely because you have not cooked it for long enough for the egg proteins to set. Keep stirring it over medium heat and the mixture will thicken and reach a temperature of roughly 80C/176F.
Fruit curd is made from egg yolks, sugar, butter, and fruit juice or puree. The mixture is cooked and thickened before being sieved and stored.
It will last up to three months in the freezer if it is stored correctly. Place it in an airtight container and cover the surface with plastic food wrap.
Yes, the egg yolks are cooked in the process and reach a temperature of 80C/176F which is high enough to kill harmful bacteria.
🧁 More Cake And Cupcake Fillings
If you love baking cakes or cupcakes, check out some of my other cake filling recipes.
Mango Curd
Ingredients
- 180 g (¾ cup) Mango puree Fresh or frozen. Puree the mango in a food processor or blender and measure after.
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice Freshly squeezed.
- 4 Egg yolks
- 100 g (½ cups) Granulated sugar Might need more or less sugar depending on the sweetness of the mango.
- 75 g (⅓ cups) Unsalted butter Room temperature. For a thicker mango puree, use ½ cup / 110g butter.
US customary cup measurement is an indicative figure only. Measure the ingredients with a digital scale by weight (gram). Baking is art but also science which requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
- Place the mango puree, lemon juice, egg yolk, and sugar into a heavy based saucepan over low-medium.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, add the room temperature butter in four stages, stirring until each addition is melted and incorporated.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Stirring is important to prevent the egg yolks from curdling.
- After about 5 minutes, the mixture starts to thicken like custard and coats the back of a spoon - it will reach about 80C / 176F.
- Remove it from the heat, and pour the cooked mango curd through a sieve.
- Pour curd into a jar or container and place plastic wrap directly on top so it is touching the top of the curd. (This prevents skin forming on top.) The curd will continue to thicken as it cools in the fridge.
- Store the curd in fridge for a week although it will be gone much quicker.
Notes
- Always weigh ingredients with a digital scale for precision
- Use a good quality, heavy-based saucepan so that the mixture doesn't burn.
- Don't cook over high heat or you can scramble the egg.
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