Monday, March 5, 2012

Homemade Meyer Lemon Curd Recipe

Photo by Carrie Forbes, 2011


Lemon curd. I realize it sounds like curdled milk if you don't know what it is... but it's divine. It's like a super sweet  lemon pudding or lemon preserves... it's creamy and rich. Sweet and tart. And with Meyer lemons? Pure lemon heaven.

I love lemons. I guess that's no surprise if you are familiar with the title of my blog. But using them can be tricky. My husband doesn't like lemon in many main dishes OR desserts because he feel like they are usually too sour and overwhelm the taste of the dish. But when I used this meyer lemon curd in a cake this weekend. He liked it. He said it wasn't as overpowering as regular lemons.

Lemon curd is originally from England. It's a popular topping on toast, scones, and inside cakes and pastries. Some recipes call simply for sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, and zest. Other recipes (like the one I'm sharing today) also contain the egg whites and butter which helps create a very smooth texture.

You can use this lemon curd in gluten free cakes, drizzle it on gluten free pancakes, enjoy in a hearty gluten free biscuit or scone. Stir it into yogurt, ice-cream, or even a fruity smoothie. Whatever you do with it... enjoy!

Homemade Meyer Lemon Curd
Adapted from "Julie's Lemon Curd" recipe in The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten Free by Anne Byrn, pg. 294
Free of gluten, soy, and options for dairy free
Printer-friendly version

Ingredients:
3 medium-sized Meyer Lemons (or 2 large lemons)
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter, ghee, or coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled

Directions:
  1. Wash and pat dry the meyer lemons. Using a microplane grater, zest the lemons and set the zest on a small plate. Then cut the lemons in half. Juice the lemons and strain the juice to remove pulp and seeds. Discard the pulp and seeds. 
  2. In a small bowl whisk together the strained juice, pulp zest, sugar, and eggs. Whisk until thoroughly combined and a light buttery orange in color. Slowly, whisk in the melted and cooled butter, ghee, or coconut oil. 
  3. Pour lemon curd into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat whisking constantly. Cook until mixture comes to a boil and begins to thicken and get silky smooth. It will take about 5-7 minutes of cooking and whisking. 
  4. When mixture has thickened enough to thickly coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Pour lemon curd in a clean glass jar and top with an airtight lid. Chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours before initial first use, to thicken and cool lemon curd. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Use lemon curd as you would jam or jelly. 



Pin It!