Laura Walton

Maypop Curd

It’s maypop season, y’all!

If you’re new here, hi! We’ve talked about maypops a few times, so if you’re wondering what I’m talking about, head on over and get the background on my previous maypop post.

Last year, I wanted to figure out a way to even better preserve the delicate “tropical” flavor of the maypop. Cooking them for a long time, or cooking them even for a little bit on high heat, breaks down the flavor more than I like. Since then, I’ve figured out two wonderful things:

  1. I don’t have to cook the maypops at all to extract their juice and
  2. I don’t have to use a food processor to extract the juice!

You can still use a food processor to juice maypops, if that’s what you have. However, if you’re looking for a more low-tech and, in my opinion, actually faster and more efficient (not to mention much less noisy) way to strain and juice maypops, look no further than the simple food mill. 

I milled them with not quite the finest disc, but one that the seeds wouldn’t fall through, and strained the juice through a fine-mesh sieve and voila! A gallon bucket of ripe maypops yielded about 1 ¼ cups of gorgeous juice. No cooking necessary, no addition of water, nothing. Hooray!

Now, about continuing to preserve their flavor without cooking it out. I’ve made the jelly and syrup, and those are still quite tasty, but the best use (so far) I’ve found is making delicious curd. It requires minimal cooking, and has just enough sugar to contrast with the maypop tartness without overpowering it. Also, butter and passionfruit work beautifully together.

If you’ve never made a curd or custard before, it can take a few tries to get it right. Eggs, especially egg whites, love to cook and curdle quickly. You want to make sure you’re not stepping away from the stove or multitasking so you can watch your pot and make sure it doesn’t boil. Don’t undercook it, either, though, lest ye get runny curd that separates.

You’re looking for a mixture that puts a thick coating on the back of a spoon. The moment this happens, and/or the mixture even starts to bubble (seriously, try not to do this), immediately remove it from the heat and strain it into a clean bowl. The cold butter will help it cool more quickly, too. The curd will thicken as it cools, and especially after refrigeration.

So if you’re looking for a delicious way to use your maypop bounty, why not try some curd? It’s delightful on toast, in pastries, and just eaten on a spoon. Go forth and process!

Maypop Curd

  • Servings: 2 cups
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A delightful way to use maypop juice while keeping its distinctive flavor.

you will need:

  • 1 ¼ c maypop juice
  • 4 egg yolks, or 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg
  • 1 c granulated sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons lemon zest (optional)
  • ½ c cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Directions

  1. Combine ¼ cup of the maypop juice, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and lemon zest (if using) in a medium saucepan (you can also do this in a double boiler) and stir to combine and smooth out lumps. Cook briefly over medium heat, whisking constantly, then add the rest of the maypop juice, whisking to keep the mixture smooth.
  2. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil, or it will taste eggy and the mixture will curdle.
  3. Immediately pour the hot curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, stir in the butter until melted and combined, and allow to cool before storing. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days, or freeze for 3 months or longer (I’ve gotten good frozen curd 6 months later, too).

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