I made this for dessert for Thanksgiving and it is Fancy but also secretly so damn easy.
12 ounces/340 grams cranberries
1 cup/225 grams sugar
Peel (orange part only, no pith) and juice of 1 orange (about 1/2 cup)
4 ounces/113 grams softened butter (1 stick)
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
Put cranberries, sugar, orange juice and peel in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries have popped and softened, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a food mill or medium mesh sieve and press cooking liquid and solids into a bowl. (Alternatively, for the most vibrant color, purée the cooked cranberry and orange mixture with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender. Press through a fine-mesh sieve – but tbh I haven’t tried this and it comes out a gorgeous vivid red-pink anyway.)
Whisk the butter into the warm liquid.
Put eggs and egg yolks into a bowl and beat lightly. Slowly whisk a cup of warm cranberry liquid into the eggs to temper, then combine both and whisk together.
Wipe out the pot to clean any cranberry bits out. Return the liquid to the pot and cook over low heat until it’s nearly bubbling and thickened, about 10 minutes.
If using immediately, let cool to room temperature. If working ahead, cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap (press wrap against curd) and refrigerate. (Curd may be cooked up to 1 day ahead.)
Pour cooled cranberry curd into a pie shell, graham cracker crust or whatever you’re using for the shell, and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes to set the curd. Cool on a rack.
Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or put it in the fridge. Cover to make sure the top doesn’t dry out and get gummy.