Sweet vanilla and juicy Cara Cara oranges come together perfectly in this creamy & easy to make Cara Cara Orange & Vanilla Bean Curd...
So I have a confession, you all- I sort of am having a love affair with all the citrus things right now. (Shhhhhh... don't tell my husband! ;) ) I can't seem to get enough of bright, fresh lemons, but my most current addiction has been with sweet Cara Cara navel oranges. I have no clue how it is that I am just now discovering these juicy citrus gems!
As much as I have been loving fresh citrus the past few weeks, the acidity in most citrus fruits usually wreaks havoc on me. But Cara Cara oranges are a hybrid navel orange that is lower in acidity than the average naval orange. They also happen to be seedless, folks. Yep, no seeds to dig out which makes them perfect for juicing and snacking on. And last but not least, just look at the color when you slice one of these babies open! Can you say gorgeous? :)
Cara Cara oranges happen to be in season through the end of this month, so I have been picking up a bag of them almost every week at the grocery store. I mean, how can I not when they are only $3-5 a bag? ;)
While I love just peeling them and snacking on them or throwing a few slices on top of a little vanilla yogurt, I have been playing around with them a bit and developing a few new recipes to share with you all on the blog. First up is this amazingly creamy Cara Cara Orange & Vanilla Bean Curd! If you happen to be a fan of orange creamsicles, then you are going to to be heaven with this easy to make curd... ;)
Cara Cara Orange & Vanilla Bean Curd
by
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients (5-6 ounces)
- 2/3 cup of Cara Cara orange juice (about 4 fresh oranges)
- Zest from 1 Cara Cara orange
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 4 tbsp of unsalted butter, cut into cubes & softened
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Pour the orange juice into a small sauce pan, & heat over medium-high heat. Bring the juice to a rapid simmer, & then let it reduce down to approximately 1/4 cup. This should take 2-4 minutes.
Transfer the orange juice to a measuring cup or small bowl to cool. Stir in the zest and lemon juice. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, yolks, & sugar. When the orange juice mixture has cooled to room temperature, whisk it into the egg mixture in a steady stream.
Pour the egg & juice mixture back into your small sauce pan over medium heat. Stir slowly but constantly until the mixture has thickened to a pudding-like consistency, about 4-6 minutes.
Stir in the butter, vanilla bean paste, & the salt while the curd is still warm.
Transfer the curd to a clean jelly jar with a lid. Store in the fridge for up to one week.
Enjoy!
Adapted from this recipe for Cara Cara Orange Curd from the kitchn.
You can use regular vanilla extract in this if you would like, but I would strongly recommend picking up some vanilla bean paste to make this curd. The vanilla flavor is just so much more intense in a paste versus an extract. Plus, I just love seeing those little flecks of vanilla bean in every spoonful. :)
This Cara Cara Orange & Vanilla Bean Curd is perfect for spreading on freshly baked biscuits, over toast, or as a topping for pancakes or waffles. Or you could just eat it by the spoonful like I may or may not have done. ;)
Are you Team Cara Cara Orange? Or is this your first time hearing about them? (If it is the latter, you can feel free to thank me later. :) )
And here is a tasty recipe using this Cara Cara Orange & Vanilla Bean Curd for you all...
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