Simple Delicious Lemon Curd recipe

Lemon curd is an awesome dessert item, because it is sweet and sour and delicious and can be used in many different ways. If you like making lovely, cookie-like pâte sucreé crusts, they are delicious filled with lemon curd. On the other hand, it is easy to make parfaits with lemon curd and whipped cream, or other flavors of curd or mousse. In terms of technique, a fruit curd such as this is made in the same way as a custard using fruit juice in place of milk or cream. Lemon or lime curd requires a fair amount of sugar to taste nice; orange curd, made from orange juice, does not require so much sugar.

This formula allows for a little wiggle room in terms of amounts; it is possible to vary the amount of butter and the amount of eggs in the recipe, up or down a little bit as your needs or tastes dictate. It is best to keep the volumes of lemon juice and sugar identical, however, in order to avoid having a result which is either insipidly sweet or too tart for enjoyment. If your curd comes out too stiff, eliminate some eggwhite and possibly add some butter. Conversely, for a stiffer consistency, increase amount of eggwhite, or reduce the amount of butter used. Also, this recipe assumes that you’re using large eggs, and lists a quantity which is already on the high side, so if you’re using larger eggs (XL or Jumbo) hold back an egg.

Makes enough for 8-12 single-serving desserts.

Equipment:
• 2 medium stainless steel mixing bowls, one of which may be a stand-mixer bowl
• 1 whisk, or a stand mixer
• 1 medium saucepan
• 1 heat-resistant rubber spatula
• 1 stainless-steel strainer, fine mesh

Ingredients:
1⁄2 cup lemon juice zest lemons before squeezing
1 Tbsp Lemon zest or all zest from lemons used
1⁄2 cup sugar granulated
3 ea eggs large; if using larger, hold back an egg
2-4 oz butter dots, chilled or room temp

Procedure:
1. Place sugar and eggs into the mixing bowl.
2. Beat sugar and eggs to the ribbon. This means that as the whisk is lifted from the mixture, a ribbon of the mixture should stay standing atop the bowl’s contents before slowly fading into the rest of the mix. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl at least once during the mixing process.
3. Mix in the lemon juice.
4. Transfer the mix to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens. This takes 5-10 minutes depending upon a number of factors.
5. Once the mixture has thickened, add the lemon zest and remove the pan from the heat.
6. Stir in the dots of butter until they are completely incorporated.
7. Strain your lemon curd through a fine stainless steel strainer. This is optional, strictly speaking, but most people find they prefer a smooth curd over one grainy with lemon zest and occasional specks of coagulated egg protein.
8. Store lemon curd for up to a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator. In order to prevent the formation of a skin, plastic wrap may be placed directly on the surface of the curd.

Music: