homemade lemon curd

April 21, 2014 // 5 Comments »

Homemade Lemon Curd

Smooth, rich, tart, and perfectly sweet – there’s nothing quite as elegant as homemade lemon curd.

I have some cookies in the works this week that pull their delicate lemon flavor from lemon curd. Though I had previously never made lemon curd from scratch, I was no stranger to its delightfully tart existence. It has always been one of my favorite components of afternoon tea as nothing beats house made scones topped with dainty dollops of lemon curd and devonshire cream. I was excited to embark on a new adventure in the kitchen and my first batch of lemon curd exceeded every expectation.

Lemon curd is another one of those delicacies that I once thought I disliked. Afternoon Tea at The Adolphus in Dallas changed my mind in just one bite and I have been hooked ever since. I recently discovered that The Ritz Carlton in San Francisco has added an afternoon tea back to their year-round events schedule and I am beyond thrilled that I have found the perfect company to join me at one of their limited seatings in the coming months. You really haven’t experienced lemon curd until you’ve had it freshly made from scratch and this batch will more than satisfy my cravings until I am able to cross Afternoon Tea at the Ritz off of my bucket list.

Homemade Lemon Curd

HOMEMADE LEMON CURD
 
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INGREDIENTS
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, approximately 3 lemons plus zest
  • ½ cup of butter (1 stick), cubed
PREPARATION
  1. Set up a double boiler by adding approximately 1 inch of water to a medium saucepan and allowing to come to a simmer over medium-high heat.
  2. In a metal bowl that is large enough to sit on top of your saucepan without touching the water, whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar until smooth.
  3. Once water has reached a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. Add lemon juice and zest and whisk continuously until mixture thickens, approximately 8 minutes. Mixture should coat the back of a spoon and leave a clear path when you run your finger through the middle of it.
  4. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, one cube at a time until smooth and glossy.
  5. Transfer curd to a jar or other sealable container and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Don’t know what to serve with lemon curd? Try it on scones, sandwiched between shortbread cookies, folded into buttercream or layered with granola and your morning yogurt. 

Homemade Lemon Curd

by Kimberly Ann // bake, pastry, spring, summer
5 Comments »