I’m not too fond of the fruit in season during Winter. Give me tropical fruit and the luscious range available during Summer any day. The only exceptions to this Anti-Winter fruit rule are the Quince, Pear and Mandarin. In fact I prefer mandarins vastly to orange as they have a more floral perfumey scent than the regular orange and are often sweeter (I used to call them “Magic Oranges”).
Because they are in season, they can be found phenomenally cheaply nowadays for less than $1 a kilo (did anyone else see the TV ads for Mandarins at 49c a kilo at Aldi?). So I did what any seasonal buyer does and bought up big shoving lots in my husband’s bag for lunch. I still had plenty leftover and when my jars of jam ran out I thought what better a way to use up the Mandarins than with a Mandarin Curd or Butter. Perhaps I will do a jam too.
As it was slightly liquidey I served this on top of yogurt and in little sweet tart cases and anywhere where a fragrant burst of flavour would be needed and it was a hit. Mr NQN asked enrapturedly “What IS this?” not being able to put his finger on this unusual curd. It’s quite sweet indeed and usually curds or butters use a tangier or more sour fruit like lemon or passionfruit. However sweet it is, it’s not as sweet as a jam and is a creamy, delicious happy medium.
So tell me Dear Reader, which is your favourite fruit?
Mandarin Curd
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup caster sugar
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed mandarin juice
- 50g/1.7ozs butter, chilled, cubed
- Finely grated zest of 2-3 mandarins (depending on size)
Method
1. Combine eggs, sugar, and mandarin juice in a small saucepan and whisk until combined over low heat and it becomes thickened.
Straining through a sieve
2. Strain through a sieve to remove any lumps or bits of cooked egg.
3. Add the cubed butter and stir until melted. Add rind and stir and place in a sterilised jar*
*Jar and lid can be sterilised in a 200C/400F oven for 10 minutes.
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53 Comments | Add your own
Mandarin curd? Lovely, lovely. I would never have thought of it. We are so spoilt for choice in summer it just overshadows those little winter fruits I think. I grew up with banana trees, strawberries and pawpaws growing in my own backyard. Pretty hard to beat that. I love the humble banana.
Such a lovely way to use Mandarins! I would love to have this for breakfast.
I love Mandarinsin Winter and as I peel the first fruit of the season, the smell brings back all sorts of happy childhood memories. As for my favourite fruits, in Summer we go through boxes of sweet cherries, Australian Lychees and the last time we were in Singapore Mangosteens, they are so cheap there , we’d go back every day and buy kilos at a time. Unfortunately, they are outrageously priced here at $2-$3 per fruit.
Yum! Could I do this with Nuttelex instead of butter do you think?
I’m a summer fruit girl for sure…I tried black sapote in far north Queensland, omg, love at first bite! It’s also called the chocolate pudding fruit.
We never get decent tropical fruit in Melbourne, but we do get good persimmons that become my staple fruit when in season.
Sounds delicious, and I can understand your preference for the mandarin. It is a nice winter fruit. If I have to pick only one fruit, I’ll go with strawberries if they’re perfectly ripe.
I love mandarins too! Not only are they easier to eat than oranges, but like you said, they have this sweet perfumey essence that is so seductively appetising!
Right – I know what I’m doing this weekend now! This would be lovely in a hollowed out cupcake or similar. *plots*
I am with you- summer fruit wins hands down- I love strawberries, blueberiies, pineapple, and mangoes.
Although in winter I love apples, pears and rhubarb
This is a fantastic idea! What a lovely flavoured curd.
My favourite fruit would have to be the strawberry or passionfruit.
great idea! i might try using sweet eze oranges.
This looks delicious – I have never tried mandarin curd before. My favourite fruit is cherries.
Oh that looks fantastic!! I’ve been wondering what to do with all my mandarins – this recipe sounds very achievable for me!
My favourite fruits are mangoes, cherries, strawberries, and passionfruit…! I love the taste of orange but I never eat them because they’re too difficult – I much prefer mandarins!
Yummy curd – I also love passionfruit curd which is great this time of year too. My Dad’s vine has produced hundreds so I’ve been madly freezing for later use. Mandarin marmalade is also a favourite as it’s sweeter than the normal marmalade
I love mandarins so will give the curd a try, it looks divine. My mum makes me a mandarin cake for my birthday each year made with a whole mandarin. My fave fruit would be mandarin, paw paw or pineapple. Bring on summer I say!
Cheers….Noodlehead
Yum! Very creative.
Mandarin curd…what a brilliant idea! Not only are you a culinary genius, but I swear I’ve never seen pictures of toast looking so elegant!
YES! I try to spread the mandarin word as much as I can in my little corner of the world, I just love it in baking – mandarin and coconut muffins were a recent effort. Mandarin juice is to die for as well.
Favourite fruit, its hard to pick just one. I LOVE cherries, peaches & nectarines – I guess stone fruit in general are my favourites, plus the elusive feijoa and tamarillos are yum as well. Least favourite is easy – mango – yuck.
What a fabulous idea! I never thought of using mandarin in a curd, I totally agree with you, they really are ‘Magic Oranges’! I couldn’t pick a fav fruit, though mangoes, grapes and cherries are high on the list!
This is a top favourite of mine, so delicious spread on hot toast (or layered with Marscapone to fill a sponge cake, or stirred into vanilla ice-cream…). We get bags and bags of them from FIL in the winter. My favourite fruit would be fresh pineapple, but I adore rhubarb, too!
Hi First of all thank you for those wonderful stories and recipes.
Can the mandarin curd be done with lemons instead?? cheers
Looks sooooo delicious.
I have a recipe for mandarin and apricot jam, derived from one of John Tovey’s (Miller Howe hotel restaurant in England’s Lake District). Very useful here in Thailand, where there are no Seville oranges to make proper marmalade.
Wow! That does sound nice..I love lemon curd and I’m sure this would be a nice spread for a chance :O)
Mandarin curd sounds interesting! I totally agree with you that summer fruits beat winter fruits anyday – my absolute favourite fruit would have to be cherries
That looks lovely. I’m a big fan of lemon curd too. Fave fruit is the good old apple!
That’s a great idea for mandarins. I am a bit fickle with mandarins, somtimes they’re in sometimes I just can’t go there
But I LOVE cherries!
I saw the Aldi ad too, bought a couple of kilos and there was your recipe this morning! what perfect timing. My mandarin curd is just cooling now… its wintery, Christmassy & perfectly delish! thank you.
Mandarins – taste of the orient, exotic and floral! Gorgeous idea although passionfruit gets me through winter, there’s something about the intense sweet/sour tropicality of it, especially when you get a sweet batch that always reels me in!
What a great idea to use mandarins for the curd instead of lemons! I will have to wait till the winter in order to try that…
A delightful curd!
Cheers,
Rosa
I can just imagine how fragrant this must be! And it’s so versatile: ice cream topping, dessert sauce, pie/cake filling, something to go with toast and butter…
Now, if only I can stop my mother from eating all the mandarins in our fruit basket so I can make some…
I wonder why you only ever see lemon or passionfruit curd in shops. Mandarin would be a winner, as you’ve proven.
And fruitwise, I love mangoes and lychees (can’t wait for summer).
Wow you are so inventive Lorraine
I would never think of such a thing to make with extra fruit.
Though I must say I’m not the hugest fan of mandarins – not sure why…I think I like tangier fruit
This sounds like a great idea I must try it. Some of the suggestions in the comments sound great too. I have been swirling rasberries through cupcakes before baking them lately so mandarin curd might be worth trying.
I have been trying to decide which Masterchef recipes I want to see in the cookbook and have replayed some episodes that I had recorded listing favourites then I remembered – I really wanted to see a recipe for Julie’s Lemon Diva cupcakes on the website and it wasn’t there so that is my suggestion – Lemon Diva cupcakes.
Favourite fruit? Definitely summer fruits – maybe Nectrarine just to be different.
Addition to the obvious weather changes, produces at markets always make me realize the season has changed!
Interesting use of mandarins! i should get a bagful of mandarins next time
A very unique recipe – the mandarin curd looks heavenly! I would love to try it!
i’ve had a few curds in my day, but never mandarin. what a lovely hue it is, and it’d certainly improve any number of breads and such!
Cool Idea! Could have this all year thru.. not just in the season.
I’m such a sucker for both lime and lemon curd, Lorraine! I’m sure I’m gonna love this one, too.
I keep forgetting it’s winter over there right now! I’m sure this cures those chilly weather blues!
What a unique twist. I have never heard of mandarin curd. Love the idea.
Man been ages since I had a mandarin orange. Needs to be remedied asap. Huge pear fan especially baked with some sugar and chianti wine.
Favourite fruit? That’s like asking about a favourite child! Well … I do love that elusive fragrance of a blood orange. And the colour!
i like mandarins just on their own – but this curd would be wonderful mixed with whipped cream as a fool!
got my mandarins from the farmers market….! ready to make some mandarin curd this weekend
Mandarin curd sounds lovely! You just made winter more bearable.
I love all kinds of curds!! & I adore yours: a divine mandarin curd: what an excellent idea!!
MMMMMMMMMMMMM,…
I agree on the winter fruit – give me stone fruit anyday! This looks like a lovely way to eat mandarins though.
Hi Julia-Thankyou!
Yes Summer has all those lovely, delicious fruits! Ahh a good hoice as it’s available all year round!
Hi Meg-Thankyou so much! Mr NQN loves it for breakfast
Hi Matilda-I know what you mnea
I love the cherries we’re currently getting although nothing bets all those Summer fruits! I know Mangosteens are so delicious aren’t they! 
Hi Tiffany-I think so! I don’t see why not
Ooh I’ve been dying totry that one day! I love ripe and sweet persimmon 
Hi Lisa-Thankyou!
Mmm yes sweet strawberries are divine 
Hi Trisha-Yes I love the scent of mandarins! And Mandarin juice too!
Hi Rose-Fantastic! Oooh yes great idea!
Hi Sandra-Mmm you’re making my mouth water!
It’s great that Winter fruits cook up so well in cakes and pies!
Hi Anita-Thankyou so much!
Two delicious fruits indeed! 
Hi Penny-Great idea!
Hi Cakelaw-Thankyou so much! Mmm cherries are divine aren’t they!
Hi Zam-Thankyou very much! It’s very easy and so delicious
Yes mandarins are like the easy, magical version of oranges! 
Hi Chris-Mm yes passionfruit curd is fantastic! Oh you’re so lucky to have fresh passionfruit!
Great idea doing a mandarin marmalade. I might do one! 
Hi Nicki-Definitely please do!
Oh wow, that sounds lovely! Yes all those sweet Summer fruit!
Hi Gab*-Thankyou!
Hi Faith-Aww you are so sweet! Thankyou!
Hi Megan-Aren’t they the best?! I know, I buy it from the supermarket and love it
I’ve never tried a feijoa but have heard how nice they are!
Hi Steph-Thankyou! Yes they’re so much easier to eat than oranges and less acidic!
All nice fruit there I agree!
Hi Angela-Mmm yes with mascarpone would be divine! I love sweet pineapple, it’s so summery!
Hi Denise-You’re welcome, thanks for reading! Absolutely can do it with lemons
Hi Bethie-Thankyou!
Hi John-That sounds like a fantastic recipe and a good workaround if you can’t get Seville oranges!
Hi Alexandra-Thankyou! Yes it’s a nice alternative
Hi Jacq-Thanks so much! Yep we bought some yesterday and I can’t wait to finish them
Hi Madelin-Thankyou! Ahh I love cooked apples and apples in desserts
Hi Shaz-Thanks so much! Hehe perhaps it’s the variety? I really like some kinds more than others
hehe yes cherries are always good if fresh!
Hi Marnie-hehe cool, what a coincidence!
Wonderful I’m so glad that you like it and you’re welcome! 
Hi Moya-Yes I love their foral scent!
Mmmyes nothinglike fresh, tangy passionfruit! The scent of them is wonderful too 
Hi yaelian-Thankyou!
Oh yes of course you’re in the opposite season!
Hi Rosa-Thanks so much!
Hi Midge-Thankyou! Yes it can be used in so many places! I should have made more
Haha she likes them does she?
Hi Belle-I know! So many other fruit would be great in a curd. Mmm yes I love lychees!
Hi Esz-Thankyou!
We just couldn’t eat them all 
Ahhh ok this one is sweet so perhaps it’s not tangy enough?
Hi Sylvia-Thankyou! Great idea with the raspberries! I hope they put in the Lemon Diva cupcakes-they looked gorgeous. Oh yes nectarines are so good, esp white nectarines!
Hi Yas-Hehe that’s true! Yes, and it makes delicious juice too!
Hi 5 Star Foodie-Thankyou so much!
Hi Grace-Thankyou! Yes it’s a nice alternative to jam
Hi Soma-Hehe that’s very true!
Hi Patricia-Ooh lime curd would be fantastic as I love limes!
Hi Blond Duck-I know, it’s funny as I keep reading about your ice cream and sorbets!
Hi Jenny-Thankyou so much!
Hi Jeff-Yes they are so good!
I love really firm pears and I like your serving suggestion!
Hi gobsmack’d-Haha ok!
Yes they’re fleeting but oh so good!
Hi Christie -Hehe you and your whipped cream!
x
Hi penny-Fantastic! I hope you like it!
Hi pigpigscorner-Thanks! I need to do what I can :loL:
Hi Sophie-Thankyou so much Sophie, you’re always so sweet!
Hi Arwen- Ahh so you like Winter fruit the best? Thanks so much!
I love manadrin as does the hubby. I will have to try this soon
Hi ArtemisIII-Wonderful! I hope that you like it
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[...] was too short on time to create Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella’s mandarin curd. With so many mandarins still dripping off the tree in my backyard, I will find the time to make a [...]
[...] made all sorts of butters or curds before including mandarin, lime, lemon and passionfruit so I knew that making some would only be a matter of time. I made a [...]
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