HOMEMADE LEMON CURD

Homemade Lemon Curd
    Makes 1 Cup

Ingredients:

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup lemon juice
• zest of two lemons
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into squares

Method:

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks first and then the whole egg until combined.
2. While whisking, pour in sugar, lemon juice and zest and continue whisking until creamy and well incorporated (1-2 minutes).
3. Place over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and can coat the back of a spoon (8-12 minutes). Remove the pan from heat and stir in the butter, one cube at a time.
4. Pour the curd into a jar and let cool. Then chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

*Homemade lemon curd can be used for up to a week if stored in the refrigerator, or a few weeks in the freezer.
*Serve on ricotta pancakes, toast, waffles, scones, etc.

When I returned from a recent trip to the States, I walked in the house and wandered about the rooms, taking stock of how my partner had fared by himself for three weeks. Everything was tidy and even semi-clean in the home. Then I walked out to the deck to check on my small container garden, and the Meyer lemon tree, in particular:

“MY GOD, WHERE IS MY LEMON? Did it die? Did a large bird make off with it? Have you seen it? Have you?!” The truth is, the tiny lemon in question had all my gardening hopes and dreams pinned on it. After two years of toiling in the soil, buying citrus fertilizers of various varieties and organic pest-control sprays, and constantly whispering sweet nothings into its many fragrant blossoms, I had managed to promote the growth of only ONE nearly fully-ripened lemon. And now it was missing. I really needed a lemon win to soothe my failing aspirations of orchard-ownership for the future.

“The lemon? Uh, I picked it. It was ripe a couple days ago,” boyfriend said, looking chastised.

I found the little gem nestled safely in the fridge, looking rather small next to store-bought lemons. I promptly photographed my wee prize and texted Christy back in the States, “our first blog post will be about lemons.”

So here we are.

I originally planned to make a simple lemon cake, because then I could take it to book club where I would proudly announce, “GIRLS, I made this lemon cake with lemons from my OWN garden.” And then sit there smugly, eating cakes made by girls with store-bought produce. Amateurs. But, then, by fortuitous happenstance, I tried lemon curd for the first time ever and a decision was made. Because, bake a lemon cake-- have cake for a few days. Make lemon curd-- make everything taste like lemons for weeks!

In this case, I made Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (originally here) and smothered them with my lemony curdy goodness. You’re welcome, lemon lovers.