The project.
Nectarine curd
Jams and chutneys tend to hog the preserving limelight, but there’s something irresistible about a buttery curd – and it’s easier to make than you think. As it’s peak summer, the citrus family can step aside – it’s time for stone fruit to shine! Emily Gussin takes you through the process from start to fruity finish, along with our cake of the summer, which uses the curd in tandem with nutty tahini
RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING EMILY GUSSIN
PHOTOGRAPHS INDIA WHILEY-MORTON
Stone fruit season is one of my favourites. Biting into something so juicy that you might have to eat it over the sink is one of life’s joys, especially when the out-of-season alternatives are hard as bullets, never really ripen and taste of very little. And while I do love the small, tender plums and greengages grown in the UK, there’s something about the smooth yellow flesh of a peach or nectarine that you can’t beat. It’s the taste of sunshine.
As with many of the best seasonal fruit, blink and you’ll miss them – with a yearlong wait before they’re back. To extend that fresh, juicy, sunny taste, I make nectarine curd. As fruit curds are smooth and buttery they work best with punchy flavours – it’s why sharp lemons or sweet and sour passion fruit are popular choices. Nectarines work just as well, still offering enough acidity to create the required tang but with a joyfully sweet finish.