Lemon Curd

A full proof lemon curd recipe from Rachel Allen. Delicious used in lemon curd ice-cream, Lemon Meringue Pie, Lemon Tart or my Luscious Lemon Pudding recipe- let your imagination run wild!

Before you begin:

It is important to sterilise the jar you'll be using. To do this, simply run it through the dishwasher (you'll have to prepare in advance), or heat it in the oven (150°C) for about 10 minutes (make sure it's cooled before you fill it with the curd!).

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

100g Butter (salted or un-salted)

175g Caster Sugar (use less if you like it quite tart)

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons or 3 small lemons

Method:

1. In a small bowl beat 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk together.

2. Slowly melt the butter in a saucepan (keep it on a low heat- you don't want burnt butter!)

3. Add the caster sugar, lemon zest and juice to the butter. Give it a quick stir.

4. Now add the egg to the pan (keep the pan on the lowest heat possible, or the mix may scramble)

5. Stir the mixture constantly until it begins to thicken (this will take a while- 15 mins or more) Just keep stirring, stirring....

6. Once the curd coats the back of the spoon and leaves a clear line when you run your finger through it, it's done

7. Take it off the heat and pour into your jar (sieve if need be- see Top Tip below). The mixture will thicken up even more once cooled and in the fridge. Leave to cool and then store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks

Top Tip:

I find that the mix does tend to scramble slightly, but fear not! If it does, just run the curd through a sieve before putting it into the jar. Disaster averted!

All photos in this post are Emerald Kimono originals