LEMON CURD
The flavour of this lemon curd is truly fabulous. I love to use it as a surprise cupcake filling, or in layer cakes, though I hear it's also fabulous spread on toast.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 170g
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
55g caster sugar
55g fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
30g cold, cubed butter
METHOD
1
In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.
2
Fill a saucepan 1/3 of the way full with hot water. Bring to a simmer, and set the bowl with the egg mixture on top. You want to make sure the bowl sits nicely on top of the saucepan, without touching the water itself.
3
Stirring constantly, gently cook the curd until thickened - fortunately, it's quite obvious once this happens as it happens quite suddenly. It can take around 10 minutes, so keep an eye. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon, meaning if you trace a line down the back of the spoon and the curd doesn't seep back into the line, it's ready.
4
Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve, to ensure any lumps don't get in the final product. Leave to cool, then transfer to an airtight jar. This curd will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Serving Suggestion
This lemon curd is fabulous for my lemon and raspberry layer cake. It also makes for a great surprise cupcake or muffin filling; simply make a hole in the centre of the cupcake/muffin with a wooden spoon or apple corer, and fill with the curd, using a piping bag or a spoon.
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