16 Mar 2014

lemon curd

 
Zap! Here is sunshine on a spoon! How many adjectives for lemon can you think of? Fresh and zingy are good ones to start with. But when coaxed into creamy perfection with butter and eggs - yes, that's lemon curd - well, I think of cheery domestic-goddess-goodness.

How can you not be happy when contemplating a great dollopy spoonful of something this yellow and sharp?


Lemon curd
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's 'How to be a domestic goddess'. I use more lemon, and make the curd over a double boiler - that is, a bowl sitting atop a saucepan of simmering water. Nigella uses the saucepan only, but I don't trust myself not to make lemony scrambled eggs, so gentle indirect heat is the way for me.
  • Juice enough lemons to produce 150 mls of juice.
  • Set up a large bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water on your stovetop.
  • Add 75 gms butter, 3 large eggs and 75 gms white sugar, whisking or stirring (depending on your implement) all the time to ensure the eggs don't scramble (if the odd white bit does form, just pick it out) and until the mixture starts to thicken. You'll feel this thickening beneath the spoon, just as you can catch that wonderful moment when you're whipping cream and it starts to get some body. It's one of cooking's quietly satisfying moments, don't you agree?
  • When nicely thick, transfer to a clean jar or bowl and allow to cool before covering. Store in the fridge and as Nigella would say, use greedily.

15 comments:

  1. Beautiful colour e, I adore lemon curd, yum! I hope you are having a lovely Sunday.

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    1. thank you jane - i did! i hope you did too x
      (and the brilliant colour, i'm sure, is due to mum's chooks' eggs)

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  2. OH. MY. GOD! That looks DIVINE. Can you believe I have never had lemon curd... or any type of curd for that matter... but you make me want to try this recipe. And I love that moment when the cream starts thickening! So satisfying and pleasant and just comforting, isn't it.

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    1. this is sooo easy to make, maya, so i hope you give it a try! especially after such an enthusiastic reaction!
      and yes, that moment makes one feel like a proper cook :-)

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  3. ha I love that "use greedily!" This lemon curd looks delicious. I love it on toast, to the point that I refuse to cook it and keep it in my house. If I do, I will consume too much curd and associated bread!!!

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    1. the trick may be to avoid the bread, carla, and just eat the curd directly off the spoon ... ooops, you didn't hear me admit that ... :-)

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  4. Oh my! I love lemon curd but it doesn't like me too much! I think it was lemon curd that started me off with gallstones a decade or two ago. Sigh. Yours looks yummy! Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth : )

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    1. oh dear, i can only say i'm lucky i haven't had gallstones from lemon curd yet (touch wood). the way i eat it, i would have known by now. i hope the pictures are a safe pleasure, lizzy!

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  5. I love lemon curd. In fact, I love lemons ... perfect!

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  6. Ooh yes, one of my very favourite treats. I eat it with a spoon, so naughty bet very, VERY nice. I like that you have added extra lemon. I am definitely going to make this and..."use greedily" did you say? Oh yeah, I can do that!

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    1. :-) i'm sure everyone eats it straight off the spoon - we just don't tell our mothers!! can't wait to hear how delicious your lemon curd is, SB.

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  7. Delish! One of my favourite things in the world is lemon curd. And yours looks so creamy and rich. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Cornish Blue egg cup.

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    1. hey M! well, as you are the one who first introduced me to nigella's recipe, you have no excuses - go make some! it IS super rich, but the sharpness of the lemon cuts thru that nicely.
      i shall tell my CB egg cup it has a fan ;-)

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  8. Yum, haven't made this for ages. And yes, I too use a double boiler.

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