Jar of Sunshine - Lemon Curd
So I've shared stories about Lemons and I've shared stories about Eggs. Both items are staples in cooking and baking, but I thought I'd share a recipe that uses mainly these two ingredients. Lemon Curd.
Now, I'll be the first one to admit that the name "Lemon Curd" for a dish is not the most appetizing sound. It almost sounds like milk that has curdled so bad, it's as sour as lemon juice. Instead, I call it a jar of sunshine, as magically, it harnesses the best parts of the ingredients' solar energy. Lemons have been connected with the sun and this recipe uses mainly Egg Yolks. This allows you to help bring out some of the best aspects of solar energy like Passion, Courage, Energy, Inspiration, Rejuvenation and Joy. The later two I find I get the most out of with this recipe.
Need: 1 Cup White Sugar 2 Tbsp Lemon Zest 6 Egg Yolks 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice 1/2 Cup Butter 1/2 tsp lemon extract (Optional)
Zest your Lemons and add to sugar. Incorporate these together well to activate the oils of the lemon zest. You can shake in a bag, use a food processor, or just mix really, really well.
Juice your Lemons, taking care to keep seeds out. Add your juice and egg yolks into a pot. Whisk well. Slowly add your sugar and lemon zest mixture, stirring well with whisk. If you want lemon extract, add it now.
Place your pot on low heat and whisk continuously. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble. This is going to take a while, but don't stop stirring or turn up the heat. It’s ready when you stick a wooden spoon in and it coats your spoon in yellow.
Remove from heat, and add your butter. Make sure it is cold and cubed. Continue stirring until butter has melted.
Pour your finished mixture through a fine mesh strainer. This will ensure your curd is smooth and silky. Put mixture in a glass jar with lid. Let cool at room temperature for an hour before lidding and putting in fridge. It will set completely in fridge. Will last several weeks in fridge and months in freezer.
Tip: -Do not stop whisking when eggs are on heat. Failing to do so may cause the eggs to overcook and become lumpy. -If your stove doesn’t go low enough, consider cooking in a double boiler. -Two Lemons should yield your needed Zest and Juice. -Use fresh lemon juice. The pre squeezed stuff you can get in a bottle will not cut it. -You can easily separate egg yolks from the egg white by tipping the egg back and forth between the shells. Or Gently use your hands to separate the yolk from the whites. -Do not fret if some egg white mixes in with your yolk. -Let your lemon curd cool completely before using it in baking. -When you make your lemon curd and you want it to have max solar energy, make sure you are cooking during the day. Not at night or in the evening. -Use less or even no lemon extract if you do not want your lemon curd to taste too strong.
