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Lemon curd is a thick, soft and creamy, spreadable cream that has a
wonderful tart
yet sweet flavor. Traditionally it was used as a spread for scones but today we
also use
it to fill our tarts, pies, cakes, and as part of a trifle.
Lemon Curd
does not use exotic ingredients; just eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and
unsalted butter. It is similar to a lemon filling or custard in that it is cooked on the stove.
But instead
of cooking the lemon curd in a saucepan, we are going
to put it in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water
(can use a double boiler). This method does take a little longer, but it helps prevent the eggs from
curdling (little specks of cooked egg). Just make sure that the water in
the bottom saucepan is 'simmering' which is defined as the point just short of a boil, that is,
when bubbles start to appear. Oftentimes if you find the lemon curd is not
thickening fast enough, all you need to do is increase the temperature of the
simmering water. Once the lemon curd has become nice and thick (like
hollandaise), remove it from the heat and strain to remove any lumps that may have
formed. Then stir in the butter and lemon zest and you're done. Cover immediately
with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate. You will find
that the lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. It will keep
in the refrigerator for about a week. You can even make the lemon curd lighter
in texture and flavor by folding in a little whipped cream once the curd has
been thoroughly chilled.
When choosing lemons look for ones that are fragrant with brightly colored oily yellow
skins. The best ones are firm, plump, and heavy for their size. Don't
buy lemons that have blemishes, soft spots, or are hard and wrinkled. Lemons
consist of a yellow outer rind (skin) that can be of varying thickness
and graininess, and can have either a bumpy or a smooth texture. This
outer skin is where most of the lemon's wonderful tangy flavor is located. Before removing
the outer rind (zest) make sure you wash the lemon thoroughly (soap and
water is best). When removing the zest do not remove the white membrane
(pith) that is underneath as it is very bitter tasting. Once you have
removed the outer rind, inside the lemon are small vessels called 'pulp vesicles'
which
contain the pleasantly acidic lemon juice and seeds. Squeezing the
lemon by hand or with a lemon squeezer or reamer releases this clear tart
juice. Always use fresh lemons to make lemon curd as the bottled
lemon juice is a poor substitute and won't give you that wonderful sharp
and refreshing citrus taste.
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