Lemon Curd

When I suggest making lemon curd there might be two arguments that one might make against it.  First, lemon curd sounds like one of those things that only "serious" bakers make.  Truth be told it is not very difficult and can be done in less than half an hour.  The other argument might be, what am I supposed to do with lemon curd anyway?  Frequently used as the filling for lemon meringue pie (save those egg whites for the meringue!), it can also be spread on toast or biscuits, like jam (but better).  Use a spoonful of it to flavor your homemade yogurt.  It makes a great filling for cakes or cupcakes, really the possibilities are endless.

I use Dorie Greenspans recipe for lemon curd.  This recipe came once again from one of my favorite cookbooks Baking: From My Home to Yours.  In this cookbook she also has a recipe for lemon cream, also really fantastic, that I will be posting next.  But first let's start with the basic classic recipe, lemon curd.

Lemon Curd

1 1/4 cups sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into six pieces
1 large egg
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Place all the ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan and stir to moisten with a heat proof spoon or spatula.  Place the pan over medium low heat and stir constantly for about 6 minutes.  You want to keep the heat low and stir constantly so that the egg doesn't curdle.   If, despite all your valiant efforts, it does curdle a little, don't worry, you can strain it out when you are done.  After about 6 minutes or so of stirring, the curd will become thick like custard.  It is done cooking when you can run your finger along the back of the spatula (or spoon) and the curd doesn't run into the track you made.

Remove the pan from heat and scrape into a heatproof jar or bowl.  Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the curd.  Cool to room temperature then refrigerate.  Curd can be frozen for future use (so you aren't tempted to eat it with a spoon). Pin It