Perhaps the best way to describe Luscious is “ludicrous”. Amazingly, four simple ingredients can create something as delicious and delicious as homemade lemon curd. You can make a little pot of velvety sunshine with just four ingredients. Now that I’ve seen how easy it is and that it can be frozen, I won’t pay $4 for another jar.
WHAT IS LEMON CURD??
Curd is one of those words that, like “moist”, never sounds very delicious. This stuff is heaven, I promise. Lemon curd can be described as a dessert spread. It’s similar to lemon custard or a sweetened version of hollandaise sauce. It tastes very similar to the filling for lemon squares. It is rich and creamy, yet still light and full of fresh lemon flavor.
WHAT IS LEMON CURD USED FOR?
EVERYTHING. Well, almost. Lemon curd can be used in place of jam or preserves. This includes toast, biscuits and scones. You can also use it as a topping for yogurt, parfaits and cakes, donuts or cookies, cake, loaves of bread, cakes, cookies, cakes, muffins, waffles and crepes. You can add lemon flavor to any dish with a teaspoon of homemade lemon curd.
HOMEMADE LEMON CURD METHODS
This week I made 578 batches (exaggeration). I tried many different methods, including adding ingredients to various orders. However, the one below produced the best homemade lemon curd. It took me less than 10 minutes to make the same amount as the microwave version.
FRESH VS. BOOTED LEMON JUICE
Although freshly squeezed lemon juice is always better than bottled, my million-plus test runs of this recipe showed that bottled lemon juice didn’t make my lemon curd less delicious. It could be all the butter and sugar, but I noticed no difference in my lemon curd from bottled. You don’t need to squeeze the lemon juice from your lemons.
However, if you are using fresh lemons, zest your lemon before juicing. The flavor of the lemon curd can be enhanced by adding lemon zest.
WHAT LONG DID HOMEMADE LEMON CURD LISTEN?
The homemade lemon curd can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, but you can also freeze it. You all know how much I love freezing anything. The lemon curd can be frozen for at least three months. And the best part? It hardens just as quickly as ice cream, so you can scoop it as often as you need.
That’s where I am most at risk. I tried it today to test the freezer durability of frozen lemon curd. It tasted very much like lemon sorbet. This is why I must tell myself that this can’t be eaten as a frozen dessert.
HOMEMADE LEMON CURD
This homemade lemon curd is easy to make and takes only four ingredients. It’s ready in just 10 minutes.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2 Tbsp per person
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup sugar ($0.08)
- 1 large egg ($0.25)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice ($0.16)
- 4 Tbsp Butter ($0.54)
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, egg, lemon juice, and salt. Mix the ingredients until smooth before putting the pot on the heat.
- Cook the mixture in a saucepan on medium heat. Continue whisking constantly. As you continue to whisk, the mixture will thicken and become foamy. The mixture will thicken once the liquid is hot enough to cook an egg. No more liquid will separate. The mixture will thicken in about five minutes by whisking on medium heat. However, this will depend on the cookware. The mixture should thicken enough to coat a spoon (see the photos below).
- The pot should be taken off the heat. Mix in one tablespoon of butter at a time. Continue whisking until the butter is fully incorporated into the sauce. The butter will look less foamy as it melts into the sauce and become silkier.
- After the butter is incorporated, transfer the lemon curd into an airtight container. Refrigerate until it cools completely. After cooling, the curd will thicken even more.
NOTES
Avoid aluminum cookware as it can react with lemon juice.
NUTRITION
Serving: 2 Tbsp Calories : 69.04 Kcal Carbohydrates : 2.76 G Protein: 0.81 G Fat: 6.15G Sodium: 53.21 Mg Fiber: 0.03 G
