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Saturday, February 20, 2010

Meyer Lemon Curd

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Oh my. I had purchased Meyer lemons for my Meyer Lemon & Strawberry Ice Cream and found that they were so big and juicy I had way more than I needed. I was able to get 1/2 cup of juice in about 1 1/2 lemons versus the normal 5 or so.

The first thing that popped into my head was lemon curd. I didn't realize how addicted to this I would get.

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Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of the preparation. I was too busy licking the whisk.

Have you tried to lick a whisk before? Of course you haven't. Its so unlady-like.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup meyer lemon juice, 2 tsp of zest, heaping 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, pinch of salt and 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into chunks.

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Now there are 2 ways to do this:
1. The safe way which involves using a double boiler or
2. The lazy way that involves a sauce pan because you don't want to wait for and then wash the double boiler that you used for the ice cream.

Using a double boiler: Place your bowl over simmering water. Add juice, zest, sugar, eggs and pinch of salt and whisk together to break the yolks, then add the chunks of butter and whisk until it thickens. I've also done this using a hand mixer. Then press through a strainer and voila, you've made lemon curd!

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Using a saucepan: Whisk together juice, zest, sugar, eggs and pinch of salt. Place saucepan over low heat, add the chunks of butter and whisk until its melted. Then keep whisking. Increase the heat a bit, to about medium/low. Don't stop whisking! Keep going until it thickens to a beautiful, luscious curd. Immediately press through a strainer. Lick spatula. Lick strainer.

I truly believe that since we whisked this by hand it's considered a workout and therefore balances out the calories consumed from the finished product.

Put in pretty jars and give away as presents, use to top crumpets (which I just discovered) or scones, fill cakes...or cupcakes with it OR just eat it with a spoon like my mom does. Kept covered and refrigerated it will last a week.

Note: I haven't made this with regular lemons yet but they are much more tart/bitter than meyer lemons so I would say increase your sugar to 1 cup. I'll play around with this. If perhaps you make it and its too tart for you... you might fold in some sweetened whipped cream. Report back if you try it!

13 comments:

  1. Oh I will be making this for sure. I am thinking that topping it with some fresh whipped cream my be in my future.

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  2. I'll bet lemon curd would be lovely on a slice of pound cake?!

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  3. Oooooo ... I love lemon curd!
    Ina Garten has yummy lemon pound cake which is topped with lemon curd and blueberries. It's one of my favorite springtime desserts!!

    Yep ... lemon curd on an English muffin, on pound cake ...
    even on a whisk ... is heaven!

    Thanks for making me drool sooo early on a Saturday morning!

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  4. I've only had lemon curd once-- at a tea shop in Cali with my kid sister. Yum!! OK. So I might have to try to make my own!

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  5. I LOVE curd. I make a cake with orange curd and it is delish. Pretty photos too.

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  6. and yes, I have licked a whisk! Looks num yummty!

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  7. Aha, something I really like and never thought to make. This looks very tempting. Maybe I'll be avant garde and make lime curd.

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  8. Yummy! I'm having a senior moment here and can't recall if I've had lemon curd or not? I do know it's something I've always wanted to try. Thanks for the recipe - I had no idea it was something I could make! -Tammy

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  9. You are a girl after my own heart. I gave up on the double broiler for making my zabagliones - psh, broiler shmoiler. Just keep whisking, just keep whisking, just keep whisking, whisking, whisking... Anyway, it looks divine I could so see this chilled and in the middle of a lovely layered cake, topped with a lemon buttercream...

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  10. I've been making lemon curd too! For tarts and bars. Isn't it soooooooooooooo goooooooooooood???? We get so many meyers in our csa box, I have to make it or risk get buried in citrus. I actually have a post set to publish about the lemon tart--i just have to type out the recipe for it to go with the photos. And it's a long recipe. So i keep forgetting--which actually means procrastinating...
    Love your pretty photos!

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  11. Yum. I made orange curd last week for a cake and had to hide the rest in the back of the fridge. It might be time to rescue it...

    That first photo is absolutely perfect, by the way. The styling is wonderful.

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  12. I've not made meyer lemon curd but I have made regular lemon curd. It was very good. I want o try making a raspberry.
    ~ingrid

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