Goshua Curd with Candied Bergamot and Citron

Recipe by Joanna Artieda

Goshua is a family-run company that has been crafting dairy products using fresh local milk for more than six decades. Its name comes from the Basque word goxua, meaning sweet, delicious or tasty, a definition that perfectly suits one of its most iconic creations: curd, presented in the distinctive clay pot that the company itself popularised and which has become one of the most recognisable symbols of this traditional dessert.

This recipe comes from the book Recetas Goshua con amigos (Goshua Recipes with Friends), a publication bringing together creations by chefs and collaborators closely linked to the brand. Among them is Joanna Artieda, recognised as World’s Best Pastry Chef 2024 by the International Academy of Gastronomy. Her recipe combines the smoothness of curd with the intense fragrance of candied bergamot and citron, two citrus fruits that provide freshness, aromatic complexity and a delicate balance between sweetness and bitterness.

Ingredients

For the candied fruit

1 kg Fantastico bergamot

1 kg Diamante citron

1 kg white sugar

1 litre mineral water

To serve

2 pots of Goshua Curd

Method

Preparing the fruit

1. Select fresh, healthy bergamots and citrons. The peel should be in perfect condition, as it will also be eaten.

2. Wash and dry the fruit thoroughly.

To reduce the bitterness of the peel

3. Place the fruit in a saucepan filled with cold water. Bring to the boil, cook for 5 minutes and drain. Repeat this process twice more. Immediately cool in iced water and leave to drain until the surface is completely dry.

4. Using a sterilised skewer or needle, pierce each fruit as symmetrically as possible all around its surface.

Preparing the syrup

5. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat over a medium flame, stirring gently until the sugar has completely dissolved. Once dissolved, bring to the boil without stirring. When the syrup becomes clear, remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

Candying

6. Add the pierced fruit to the syrup. Cook over a very low heat for several hours, until the fruit is thoroughly cooked while retaining its shape.

Storage

7. Store the bergamots and citrons in their syrup in a glass jar. They will keep for several months provided they remain completely covered by the syrup. Citrons can grow to a considerable size, so a large jar may be required.

Finishing and presentation

8. Cut the candied fruit into small cubes or thin strips and place over the Goshua Curd. Serve directly in the traditional clay pot or transfer to another serving dish for a more elaborate presentation.