Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd is, quite simply, a gift from the gods! It knows when to dress up and when to dress down.

You can find it added to any number of baked goods and desserts (such as Tangy Lemon Bundt Cake, Lemon Meringue Tarts and Creamy Lemon Curd Mousse), or simply slathered over hot toast or crumpets. And why waste your money on store-bought curd when you can so easily make your own lemony deliciousness for a fraction of the cost.

Below you are going to find two recipes, both using the same amount of ingredients; one courtesy of Alton Brown and sourced from Food Network. It is the classic method where the butter is added into the lemon custard right at the end.

The second is based on a recipe from a local New Zealand site – Food in a minute – in which the butter is added in with the other ingredients at the start, so you’re not adding it piece by piece at the end of the cooking time. It’s easier from that point of view, but the outcome is the same. I’ve changed the amounts of the ingredients in this one (which had less eggs and more sugar) to match Brown’s recipe.

Things to be aware of when making curd:

I’ve made curd a number of times now and I’ve learned a thing or two. Once or twice, the curd hasn’t thickened enough upon cooling. I have discovered that the main problem has been that I haven’t cooked it long enough. Now, I rely much more on how it looks and feels. It should thicken up just before it’s ready (in the last few minutes). You’ll see it changing from a liquid to a thin custard-like texture, which will coat the sides of the bowl as you’re stirring. You’ll also find it coats your spoon and if you run your finger through this coating, it will hold a clear line.

Troubleshooting:

• If you find your curd hasn’t thickened properly on cooling, put it right back on the heat and start again – I’ve done it, and it works!
• If, on the other hand, you overcook your curd (i.e. cooking it for too long near the correct temperature), it can cool in the fridge to something akin to a very sticky soft candy. In these cases, I’ve added a teaspoon or two of boiling water to the chilled mixture and beaten it with electric beaters to bring it back to a creamy curd.

Just to note: Just in case you were wondering why my lemon curd is so yellow, our New Zealand egg yolks seem to be more yellow than in some other countries – I also use organic eggs, so they actually border on orange!

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LEMON CURD (Version 1)

Makes about one pint (half a litre)

Ingredients

• 5 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Zest of 2 lemons
• Juice of about 4 lemons (to make 1/2 cup juice)
• 1 stick butter (113g), diced

Directions

1. Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-2 inches up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
2. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks, sugar and salt in a medium size bowl and whisk until smooth (about a minute). Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk until smooth.
3. Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low/medium and place bowl on top of saucepan (bowl should be large enough to fit on top of the saucepan without touching the water). Whisk until the mixture begins to thicken (this will happen right towards the end of the cook – it will move quite quickly from liquid to a custardy coating which you’ll see forming on the sides of the bowl). Depending on the stove, this will take about 15-20 minutes (if you find that it’s taking forever, you may want to edge up the heat a little, but go easy! You don’t want it to boil). If using a thermometer, the mixture should reach 170F or 76C.
4. Remove from heat and stir in butter, a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Lay a teatowel lightly over top of the bowl and let it cool down a bit. Once cooled, lay some plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd (this will ensure it doesn’t form a skin), and refrigerate. The curd will thicken further over the next several hours, so it’s useful to make it the day ahead of needing it. You can refrigerate it for at least a week.

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LEMON CURD (Version 2)

Makes about one pint (half a litre)

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter (113g), diced
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Zest of 2 lemons
• Juice of about 4 lemons (to make 1/2 cup lemon juice)
• 5 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Put butter, sugar and salt into a stainless steel bowl or double saucepan. Place the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water and heat until the butter has melted.
2. Add lemon zest and juice. Stir while gradually adding the beaten egg yolks. Stir continuously over simmering boiling water until the mixture thickens. Depending on the stove, this will take about 15-20 minutes (if you find that it’s taking forever, you may want to edge up the heat a little, but go easy! You don’t want it to boil). If using a thermometer, the mixture should reach 170F or 76C.
3. Remove from the heat and lay a tea-towel lightly over top of the bowl and let it cool down a bit. Once cooled, lay some plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd (this will ensure it doesn’t form a skin), and refrigerate. The curd will thicken further over the next several hours, so it’s useful to make it the day ahead of needing it. You can refrigerate it for at least a week.

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Food Photography Info: Canon 550D (EOS Rebel T2i); Canon 50mm 1.8 lens / Natural lighting