How to turn any leftover fruit into curd

Curd can turn a tired piece of fruit or a forgotten offcut into something decadent. Lemon curd is the classic, but you can make curd with almost any fruit—add a little lemon juice for acidity and each version becomes intense, indulgent and deeply moreish. Fruit curds set smoothly thanks to the combination of protein, fat and acid: the acid lowers the temperature at which egg proteins coagulate, helping everything thicken without scrambling.

Naturally acidic fruits such as citrus, passion fruit, pineapple and rhubarb set easily; less sour fruits like pear, apple, mango and peach need a splash of lemon to reach a glossy texture. Makes 450ml. Prep 10 min. Cook 10 min. Ingredients: 150g prepared fruit; juice of ¼ lemon (and zest if using an organic unwaxed lemon); 100g runny honey, maple syrup or granulated sugar; 3 medium eggs or 6 egg yolks; 1 tbsp cornflour (optional, for a pie filling); 75g butter, cubed.

fruit curd, lemon curd, lemon juice, egg yolks, cornflour, butter, honey, maple syrup, passion fruit, rhubarb