The other day I posted about making flavored sugars and I made a lot of the lemon one testing textures. I thought about it and decided the best way to utilize it and the extra lemons I had on hand was to make some delicious lemon curd.
Lemon curd looks like a custard or hollandaise sauce, but the pucker power matched with the sweetness is unbelievable! This is perfect on toast, gingerbread, crumpets, dip biscotti in it, as a layer for tarts, in puff pastry or cakes you name it, it’s fantastic and is easily interchanged with whatever citrus you desire, too.
It is a relatively simple sauce to create with only five ingredients. But I will say it’s a bit of a workout in the continuous whisking when this thickens on the stovetop. You don’t want it to curdle or turn to scrambled eggs and you sure don’t want it scorched so a continuous whisk is imperative. The reward is a delicious, lemony pucker of a sauce!
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So I broke out my vegetable peeler and removed the zest of 2 more lemons. I thought about using my microplane for this, but figured since it was going in the food processor why? I put the zest in my food processor fitted with the steel blade and whirled it on high to chop the zest.
Next, I added the sugar and pulsed the mixture until the zest was very finely minced into the sugar and it looked like yellow snow, but the good kind! I added this to what I had previously made, but you want 3 cups total.
In a mixing bowl I creamed the butter with the lemon and sugar mixture, it will be grainy, with a beater on medium. Next, add the eggs one at a time thoroughly incorporating, then add the lemon juice and kosher salt. You will be tempted to stick your finger in their a take a taste test, but if you have issues with raw eggs don’t.
Pour the lemon mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened, which is about 10+ minutes, whisking constantly. This is a bit of a workout, I won’t lie, but so worth it.
I had read several other recipes for this and there are various ways to make this, but this one is my favorite. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170° F and rather quickly at this point, too.
The curd sauce is done when it can hold its shape when the whisk it pulled upward. Remove from the heat and pour through a sieve and press to extract the curd into a bowl to remove the zest if you do not want. Allow to cool and use right away or refrigerate.
This lemony goodness is a sweet and sour delight. The lemon curd will continue to thicken and will be spreadable when refrigerated, or you can spoon it right over some fresh baked gingerbread and enjoy.
Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 3 lemons
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 pound butter
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove just the zest of 3 lemons. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the sugar and pulse until the zest is finely minced into the sugar.
- In a a bowl cream the butter with a mixer and beat in the lemon sugar mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating completely. Then add the lemon juice and kosher salt. Mix until combined.
- Pour the mixture into a saucepan and add the butter cubes and set the pan over low heat, whisking constantly until the butter is melted.
- Turn the heat to medium and continue to cook until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170° F and will thicken rather quickly at this point. The curd sauce is done when it can hold its shape when the whisk it pulled upward. Remove from the heat and pour through a sieve and press to extract the curd into a bowl to remove the zest if you do not want. Allow to cool and use right away or cover and refrigerate.
I would find excuses to put that Lemon Curd on almost anything! Looks great.
Thanks Amanda, it is so, so good! Even just a spoonful on its own. 😉