My mother had a passion for lemons, and so do I. In fact, lemon curd is one of my favorite treats! It is a standard here at Readmore for afternoon tea. I use a little more lemon zest than most recipes because I want my lemon curd to be really lemony and tart. You can adjust this if you prefer a milder flavor.
I love to serve this alongside my herbed cheddar biscuits, or any type of sweet or savory muffin. Layer it with Greek yoghurt and you have a quick and delicious parfait. It also makes a great cake or tart filling, and a wonderful gift from your kitchen. Use the best and freshest eggs you can find, it does make a difference, and ONLY organic lemons.
Dorothy’s Zesty Lemon Curd
- 6 large organic egg yolks
- ¾ cup superfine sugar
- 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- Zest of three lemons
- 1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into little cubes
Over medium heat, whisk together the yolks and sugar in a medium saucepan until well blended, but not too airy. Save the whites for another purpose. Add the lemon juice, zest, salt, and butter and combine. Place over medium low heat. Using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, stir until the butter melts, then whisk. Cook until nice and thick; you should be able to run your finger on the back of the spoon and it will leave a clean trail, and the mixture hits about 170 degrees F. Don’t let it go higher or it may curdle.
Have all ingredients measured and ready.
Remove from heat and put the whole mixture through a fine mesh sieve if you don’t want the zest in the finished curd. This will also remove any small pieces of egg that may have scrambled, or bits of egg white. This step only takes a moment, and is well worth the effort for a smooth, luxurious texture. I like the zest, so depending on what I’m using it in, sometimes I skip the straining step.
Place in a refrigerator dish with a piece of plastic right on top of the curd to prevent a thick skin from forming (in life you need a thick skin, but not so in lemon curd).
Let this chill for a few hours.
VARIATIONS: You can substitute any citrus for the lemon. Orange is really good, as is lime, but don’t forget about the bountiful pink grapefruit that is available mid-winter.
