~ "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; Through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." ~ "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" ~ "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." ~ "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."~

Monday, September 28, 2009

Homemade Lemon Curd...



Homemade Lemon Curd.... I have been promising that I would one day post my lemon curd recipe with pictures. I made a few recipes like Berry Napoleon and Mini Fruit Tarts , using lemon curd, but never really showed you how to make it. I had listed the ingredients, but I never showed you the steps involved. Since I made a batch recently, I decided to take photos and add a post devoted only to lemon curd:). It really is easy to make, so I hope you wll try it one day. I know there are many other recipes out there. Some recipes are very picky and can curdle on you, while others have more butter than I care to add. I have made this recipe for years now ...I think it was originally in a Taste of Home magazine. Most recipes tell you to strain the curd...I never strain it. I actually like to see the lemon peel...but if you don't like the lemon peel , just strain it. I cook my lemon curd over low heat in a double boiler and cook it until it thickens or reaches 160 degrees. I then pour it in a jar and let it cool. I love to have lemon curd on hand for scones, pies tarts,cakes etc...I tried freezing the lemon curd and had outstanding results. So make some and freeze it in small containers and you will have lemon curd at your fingertips! It makes a really nice gift as well. I absolutely love making lemon mousse with the lemon curd. Just whip some cream and fold in a bit of lemon curd and you have some amazing Lemon Mousse. Anyway, here is the recipe with photos attached...feel free to cut the recipe in half.

You will need: You can easily cut the recipe in half (which I often do)...recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups.
4 eggs
2 cup sugar
1 cup butter(no substitutes),melted
2/3 cup lemon juice
3 TBS grated lemon peel
1/8 tsp salt
Directions:
If you have a double boiler, use that. If not, you can place a smaller pot on top of a larger pot to make do. It actually works like a charm! Place some water in the bottom of the bigger pot and place the smaller pot on top. You want enough water to barely touch the smaller pot. Just keep the water simmering (use low heat). If you have high heat it will ruin your lemon curd. This does take some patience.
Get your ingredients ready.
In the top of a double boiler, beat eggs and sugar.
Stir in butter, lemon juice, peel and salt.
Cook over simmering water for 15 minutes or until mixture is thickened and reaches 160 degrees.
You will notice that you will have a foam on top. Keep stirring every so often ...you don't want the curd to burn. Basically don't leave the stove for the next 15 minutes or so:). The foam will slowly go away as you reach the desired thickness.
The curd should reach 160 degrees. Strain it if you like, But I never bother!
I like to pour mine in jars while hot. The curd is still a bit clear, but as it cools it will thicken even more and get a creamy golden yellow color.
Cover and store in the fridge for 1 week (or freeze).

15 comments:

Sailaja Damodaran said...

looks perfect...yummy

Amanda said...

Oh yum I will definitely try this! I love love love lemon curd, it is the best. :)

Ellie said...

Hi Amanda!
I think you will like this...if you really love lemon curd:)Thanks for stopping by.

Mihaela said...

Hi Ellie, I was making lemon meringue cupcakes filled with lemon curd, and I made the lemon curd after that recipe, and after that I remembered that I've seen a recipe for lemon curd on your blog. I wish I would've check it first :) Mine turned out ok, it doesn't have any butter, and I think it's ok for the cupcakes. I noted your recipe for next time :) Tommorow is the meringue part. Wish me luck! :))

Ellie said...

Hi Mihaela, Oh, your lemon meringue cupcakes sound wonderful!! What a great idea to make what is normally a pie...into a cupcake! I think the cupcakes will look fantastic with the meringue as the"frosting"...they will look so pretty. Can't wait to see them:).
I am sure the lemon curd you made will be great with the cupcakes...it actually sounds like it will be quite light without the butter...and I love the idea of making lemon curd without butter:)
I've made this lemon curd many times ...and I really like it. It's so versatile...

saima munif said...

looks so yummy... definitely going to try this....

Ellie said...

Saima, I am hoping you will like it...it is one of my favorites:)

Anonymous said...

I chose this recipe for my first try at making my own Lemon Curd. The results were outstanding. I used a microplane for the lemon zest. I strained 2 jars and filled the third jar straight from the pot. Both ways were excellent. Thanks Ellie!

Ellie said...

Anon, Oh, you are very welcome! I am so glad you liked the lemon curd ... I feel honored that you tried this recipe for your very first try:). And thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback, I so appreciate it.
Have a great day!

Unknown said...

Hi Ellie! This Lemon Curd sounds delicious! Would it work between the layers of a cake?

Ellie said...

Hi Glenda:). Yes, this should work well, as it thickens quite nicely. If in doubt, you can cook it a bit longer, just to make it a bit thicker.
Hope this helps:)... Enjoy the cake!

Hoku said...

Made this today in preparation for a tea party and itʻs AMAZING!!! Soooo yummy! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. Took me way longer to cook than 15 minutes - I was stirring for almost an hour and a half and had my stove almost at a medium... but it was worth it! So excited to share it. :) Thanks again!

Ellie said...

Hoku, Oh, that's wonderful to hear! SO glad you like the lemon curd:)... It's the only recipe make.

I'm glad you kept it cooking longer and that it worked for you in the end. The curd does thicken as it cools though. But I am thrilled you liked the end result ...

So appreciate you sharing your feedback:). Have a great day!

Unknown said...

You're a godess ! I made this lemon curd yesterday and it's amazing! So lemony tasty ! The recipe was very easy to follow. Lemon curd is like the dessert version of hollandaise sauce. Thank you for sharing this recipe and tips.

Ellie said...

Jess, You are too sweet:)! SO glad to hear you tried the lemon curd... and liked it as much as I do:). It is a favorite...and I love the fact that I can make a larger quantity than I would normally use at one time... and be able to freeze for other baking projects:). And yes, similar to a hollandaise sauce... as you can use it on a variety of desserts:).

Thanks a bunch for taking the time to stop by and write... I really appreciate your feedback!