Lemon Curd

I have a custard addiction.

And I recently discovered that custard is socially acceptable to eat at breakfast. I don’t know why it took so long to find this out. I haven’t had enough exposure to doughnuts I think.

So I immediately made lemon curd. And after I spooned it into the jar, I licked every last vistage from the bowl. Because I really, really don’t like to be wasteful. That was my thinking. And no one was around to tell me my thinking was flawed.

You should make it too. Here’s what you will need:

Zest, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, butter.

Then you will need a makeshift double boiler. This consists of a pot with a bit of water in it, and a bowl that will fit inside but not touch the bottom.

You’ll drop your eggs into the bowl and give them a mix as the water comes to a simmer.

Then you start to work quickly so you don’t have scrambled eggs and you add the juice…

The zest…

The sugar…

And you mix aggressively.

The mixture will be pale from the air you’ve incorporated.

And as the water heats, it sends off steam which will warm the bowl and slowly thicken the egg mixture. You want to keep stirring constantly here, making sure to get the sides of the bowl as well.

As soon as you see it begin to thicken, that’s when you turn off the heat. Then you’ll want to switch to a wooden spoon or spatula so you can really get the sides.

Then you’ll lift the bowl out and keep stirring as it cools.

This will prevent it from getting lumpy. But if you do end up with lumps, do not fear, simply strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and it will be perfect.

Next you add the butter and mix it in until it melts.

This will prevent a “skin” from forming on the surface of the custard.

And there you have it, thick and tangy, perfect for your morning toast or by the spoonful.

Give it a try sometime!

Print Recipe

“Lemon Curd”

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup lemon juice 2-3 lemons
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter

Instructions

• In a double boiler, combine the eggs, lemon juice, zest, sugar and salt. Whisk them constantly as the water comes to a simmer until the mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes.
• Just as it thickens, switch to a wooden spoon or spatula and continue to stir, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Remove the bowl from the heat and continue to mix for 2-3 minutes as it cools.
• Add butter and incorporate completely. Store in a glass jar or bowl, fully covered for up to 2 weeks.