raspberry

Raspberry lemon curd is like a vibrant, summery raspberry lemonade in a spreadable form. Add it to toast for a sweet and tart treat with tea, any time of the day; bake it into your next summer galette; transform ordinary lemon bars or pie by spreading it over a shortbread crust and popping it in the oven and once cool dusting with powdered sugar; or sandwich it between two cookies for an elevated dessert. The possible uses for raspberry lemon curd are really endless.

Its totally-natural electrifying color reminds me of the shocking pink crayon, which was always my favorite as a child. Raspberry lemon curd will add a pop of pink and a punchy pucker to any food in need of a boost. 

ingredients

  • 2 cups raspberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ¼ cup lemon zest
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • Powdered sugar

steps

Add the raspberries to a medium or large pot and cook over medium-high, mashing continuously, until the berries begin to break down and release their juices, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain in a mesh sieve and return the strained juice to the pan.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly. Pour the entire mixture into the pan with the raspberries. Cook on medium-low for about 5 minutes until all of the ingredients are combined. Add the butter and stir constantly until it melts. Continue cooking for another 10-12 minutes until the mixture thickens.

Transfer to a clean jar and cover. The curd will keep for 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator, if it can last that long!

As we are now in the final month of winter, I once again find myself digging into my stash of provisions from the warmer months. This means finishing up the last of my wild raspberry supply. Here, the raspberries find their way into a raspberry lime and coriander loaf cake. 

Coriander is the seed of a cilantro plant. It is earthy, aromatic, and floral with a hint of citrus. It is even said to have medicinal properties. You might wonder, coriander in a cake? But give it a try. The coriander pairs so well with the tang of lime and the tart sweetness of raspberries. Top it all off with a dusting of powdered sugar, and this raspberry lime and coriander loaf cake has a distinct and unique flavor profile.

Try a slice of raspberry lime and coriander loaf cake for breakfast with coffee or as a snack with afternoon tea. I even recommend turning it into french toast, but that’s a whole other story. 

ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup coriander seeds, toasted and ground
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup sour cream or yogurt (I like to do a mix of both, but if you don’t have both, either one works!)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon lime zest
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 ½ cups frozen raspberries, thawed and drained

steps

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground coriander in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Cream together the coconut oil, sugar, and sour cream/yogurt until fluffy. Add the lime zest and mix thoroughly. Add the eggs, one at a time, until evenly incorporated. Add the lime juice and mix. Slowly add in the flour, coriander mixture until all the ingredients are combined.

Add the raspberries and their juice and mix to combine. I use a stand mixer to do this on the lowest speed and some of the frozen raspberries release their juices and turn the batter pink.

Bake for 45 minutes until the sides of the loaf cake pull away from the pan. Let cool slightly, dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve warm or cold!

Back in the summer, I became obsessed with picking wild raspberries from the various brambles that grow around our house and nearby. Wild raspberries are a bit of a prickly plant, so it was quite a production to pick a high volume of berries every day. Nonetheless, I persisted for my love of raspberries and for sharing the delicious creations that I made from them. I picked gallons of berries a day and made jars of jam and pints of sorbet. And, I froze a great deal.

Months later, it is now the dead of winter and the grey day doldrums are really kicking in. Though I love winter and its coziness, I do require the occasional reminder of brightness. Enter: my frozen raspberries from months past which I transformed into lemon raspberry curd.

This lemon raspberry curd pie is rewarding in so many ways. It is like a giant lemon bar meets raspberry pie and can be made into one giant pie, individual mini tarts, or cut into bars. The filling is quite rewarding to make and the natural color provides a beautiful taste of summer!

ingredients

for the crust

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into ½ inch cubes (cut in half then in half again)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

for the filling

  • 2 cups raspberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ¼ cup lemon zest
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • Powdered sugar

crust steps

Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix to combine. Combine the water and the apple cider vinegar and set aside. 

Sprinkle the cubes of butter into the flour mixture and give it a toss. Use your fingers or a dough blender to press and pinch the flour into the pieces of butter until combined. The dough will be shaggy and there will be different sized pieces of butter. Slowly drizzle in the water vinegar mixture and continue to press and pinch the dough until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

filling steps

Add the raspberries to a medium or large pot and cook over medium-high, mashing continuously, until the berries begin to break down and release their juices, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain in a mesh sieve and return the strained juice to the pan.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly. Pour the entire mixture into the pan with the raspberries. Cook on medium-low for about 5 minutes until all of the ingredients are combined. Add the butter and stir constantly until it melts. Continue cooking for another 10-12 minutes until the mixture thickens.

assembly steps

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the crust and press it into a 9-inch pie dish. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the filling. Bake for another 35-40 minutes. Let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.