Normally I wouldn’t touch lemon curd, not because I don’t like lemons or because I am super health conscience (look around my blog, you’ll see) but because I have always found it far too sickly almost cloyingly sweet. Often I would look at it and think how delicious it would look but after a few mouthfuls I would feel quite yuck, which I put (rightly or wrongly) down to all that white sugar in it. Well, here’s my solution! Replace all that refined white sugar (which is a treat that I’m definitely not saying complete goodbyes to, sweet treats of course have a special place in my heart from time to time), replace it with golden unrefined caster sugar. It tastes just as delicious and Dr Libby might just approve. My Homemade Lemon Curd is super easy, takes less time than it would take you to go to the supermarket and buy a jar of lemon curd, is deliciously tangy, beautifully smooth and velvety, and kind of, maybe a tiny bit good for you…
My husband, Will, and I have been together for almost 15 years now. I think that deserves a celebration don’t you think. Hawaii darling husband? I can dream. Ever since I have known him, well ever since we have been living together because the first few years together we spent at a military university, he has been tending to this quite sickly and disease ridden lemon tree. If there was a runt of the lemon tree world this would be it. Not only would the tree itself not make the cut for a House and Garden shoot, the lemons are also butt ugly and full of seeds. He claims they are a breed called ‘ugly lemons’. I’ll take his word for it but I think they might be just be ugly-lemons. Why has he kept it all these years? I suspect it’s a bit of stubbornness, a little bit of tenacity and the challenge but also a tiny bit of fondness may have crept in. Most people foster a rescue cat or dog, an injured bird or a baby duckling but my husband has taken to this lemon tree. Okay, I have been a little unfair, the lemon tree does have one redeeming feature…it has the most juicy and tasty lemons I have ever tried. Will came inside the other day with a bumper basket of lemons which I thought would be just perfect for some homemade ugly lemon curd. Yup, that’s my official name for it but I didn’t want to lead with that for fear of you ditching me at the title.
Enjoy.
Kate xx
Homemade Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup lemon juice about 4-5 medium lemons
- zest of 4-5 medium unwaxed lemons
- 3/4 cup golden unrefined caster sugar
- 3 free-range eggs
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- 100 g/3.5oz unsalted butter cubed
Instructions
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Whisk together lemon juice, zest, sugar, eggs and egg yolk in a heatproof bowl sitting over a pot of simmering water (bain marie). Ensure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
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Stir in the butter and continue to stir occasionally until butter has melted.
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Once the butter has melted take a whisk and whisk frequently until the curd is thick enough to hold marks of the whisk, about 6-10 min.
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You may strain the curd through a sieve if you wish but I prefer to leave it with specks of lemon zest.
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Transfer to a sterilised jar and seal. Curd will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.
Note: Golden Caster Sugar is available in the baking section of most supermarkets and online
This sounds and looks divine! I recently just made my first lemon curd at home, well technically I made it twice as I failed the first time! I used Meyer Lemons which I’m obsessed with. I’ll have to give your recipe a go with the Meyers.
Oh no! I always get so frustrated when things fail in the kitchen (which means I am often frustrated, ha!). I love Meyer Lemons too, they are my fav! Hope the recipe works out for you, it’s never failed for me so it’s safe to say it’s pretty foolproof!