Mango & Lime Curd — Sam Gates Food

Although mangoes aren't exactly seasonal in the UK, my family still has a big fondness for these stars of the fruit world, with their heavenly flavour and velvety flesh. Perfectly ripe, they make the best breakfast, with just a little Greek yoghurt and a sprinkling of toasted almonds to up the ante.

Occasionally I also buy them green, and bring them home to ripen, although timing is crucial as they can quickly trip over theperfection threshold into the land of mush. The plus side is that you have a great excuse to make this divine mango curd which is perfect on hot buttered toast, or drizzled over a summer Pavlova.

So ifyou ever find yourself with two slightly mushy mangoes, this recipe will justify their existence beautifully (and if you've only got one, you can halve all the ingredients below and it will work just as well) Adding lime takes an edge off the sweetness and gives it a welcome citrus kick

Makes about four jam jars worth of curd, and it keeps unopened in the fridge for about two weeks.

INGREDIENTS

2 ripe mangos (about 900g)
Juice and finely grated zest of 2 limes
250g golden caster sugar
250g butter cut into cubes
8 egg yolks, beaten

Cut the mango in half and cut all the flesh away from the stone and the peel. Put into a food processor and blitz until it's a super smooth purée.

Bring a pan of water to the boil, then turn the heat down until it is just simmering.

Put the puréed mango and all the other ingredients into a big heatproof bowl (I use a large Pyrex mixing bowl) and place on top of the saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl.

Start stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon (stick the radio on, this might take a while) and keep at it, until the curd is thick. Be patient, and don't try and rush it by turning the heat up as it will be worth the wait. It needs to be thick and sticky.

Pour the hot curd into sterilised jars, cover with a wax disc and seal. When it is cold, pop it in the fridge and only share with people who you really, really like. It's too good to waste!