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Lemon curd used lots of ways By Chef Kady Guyton
There is no produce like free produce, until there's a whole lot of it. Usually, this time of year, everyone is safe from the vegetable overload, but then the Meyer lemons start to ripen.
I was given a very large bag of Meyers last week by a friend with a very prolific tree. Meyer lemons are proof that the culinary gods love us and wish us to be happy. A cross between a lemon and an orange, Meyers are often sweet enough to be eaten out of hand - or at the very least, enjoyed in a variety of dishes.
One good way to demolish a lot of lemons in a tasteful way is by making lemon curd. Originally created in England in the late 19th century, lemon curd is somewhere between pudding and jam. It's often served as a spread on pastries or as a filling in tarts and pies. It also sells for around $8 a jar. Once you make it at home, you'll find other uses for that cash.
Lemon curd is basically a thick emulsification. Egg, sugar and lemon juice are beaten together over low heat until they thicken. They whole process takes about 10 minutes.
There are a few points to keep in mind before embarking on lemon curd creation. This recipe uses the entire egg, rather than just the yolk like a lot of emulsified recipes call for. The addition of the whites creates a lighter finished product, but can result in flecks of cooked egg, since the whites cook at a slightly lower temperature than the yolks. One way to avoid this is to beat the egg, sugar and lemon juice together before putting them on the heat. I also recommend the double-boiler approach to cooking the curd. Because the heat is indirect, it tends to be a little more forgiving.
The directions below call for using a stainless steel bowl. This comes up frequently in certain types of recipes, but it's never explained why. Here's why: the acid in the citrus can react to aluminum or unlined copper, turning the finished product gray and sometimes giving it a metallic flavor. Use stainless steel, anodized aluminum, enamel, glass or Pyrex. These are what is known as "non-reactive" and are much kinder to your food.
So once the lemon curd has been successfully created, what to do with it? Use is as an ice cream topping or a filling between two cookies. It goes well as a layer cake filling or in a tart. It can also be folded into whipped cream for a quick lemon mousse.
Lemon curd freezes well, but does not freeze solid, making it easy to scoop out a few tablespoons at a time. Makes lots now and enjoy it over the next several months.
Lemon Curd 3 large eggs 1. In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended.
2. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool.
4. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for up to a week.
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