Recipe: Lemon Curd [edit]

Photo: Sheri

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Edited by: Sheri, Alisa Escanlar, Barnaby Dorfman

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Wikipedia

Fruit curd is a dessert spread and topping usually made with lemon, orange or raspberry. The basic ingredients are beaten egg yolks, sugar, fruit juice and zest which are gently cooked together until thick and then allowed to cool, forming a soft, smooth, intensely-flavored spread. Some recipes also include egg whites and/or butter. In late 19th and early 20th century England, home-made lemon curd (also known in the UK as lemon cheese) was traditionally served with bread or scones at afternoon tea as an alternative to jam, and as a filling for cakes, small pastries and tarts. Homemade lemon curd was usually made in relatively small amounts as it did not keep as well as jam. In more modern times larger quantities are feasible because of the use of refrigeration. Commercially manufactured curds often contain additional preservatives and thickening agents. Modern commercially made curds are still a popular spread for bread, scones, toast or muffins. They can also be used as a flavoring for desserts or yogurt. Lemon-meringue pie, made with lemon curd and topped with meringue, has been a favorite dessert in Britain and the United States since the nineteenth century. Curds are different from pie fillings or custards in that they contain a higher proportion of juice and zest, which gives them a more intense flavor. Also, curds containing butter have a smoother and creamier texture than both pie fillings and custards; both contain little or no butter and use cornstarch or flour for thickening. Additionally, unlike custards, curds are not usually eaten on their own. Other flavor variations also exist using citrus fruits such as limes and tangerines, passion fruit, mangoes, and berries such as cranberries or blackberries. Hundreds of commercial variations are sold globally.

Comments

7 months ago

Alisa

Thanks for the tip Kim! Can't wait to try it :)

7 months ago

Kim McGalliard

I have a recipe from Baking by Dorrie Greenspan that calls for the zest of 3 lemons that is mixed in with the sugar before it's added to the eggs. It also uses whole eggs. The curd is strained before the butter is added to remove the zest. I made it recently and it turned out perfectly and was very lemony.

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[edit] Ingredients

	Zest of 1 lemon
¾	cup lemon juice
8	egg yolks
1 ¼	cups sugar
10	tablespoons unsalted butter

[edit] Preparation

Step 1	Grate the rind of one lemon and set aside.
Step 2	Beat 8 egg yolks in a bowl to break them up, then pour the yolks through a sieve into a heavy-bottomed pot to strain out the white membranes.
Step 3	Stir in 1 ¼ cups sugar and ¾ cups lemon juice (3-4 lemons) and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight motion.
Step 4	Continue cooking until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Lift the spoon out of the curd and run your finger down the length of the spoon. If your finger leaves a line, the curd is thick enough. If the curd runs and covers up the line, it’s too runny and needs to cook longer.
Step 5	Remove the pan from the heat and add 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter and the lemon zest.
Step 6	Stir until the butter is completely melted.
Step 7	Pour the curd into a small bowl, and let cool to room temperature.
Step 8	Then, cover the cooled curd, and refrigerate until you’re ready to use.
Step 9	Lemon curd will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.