Fresh Lemonorange Curd Food

LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.
• Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
• Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

EASY LEMON CURD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, zest, and egg yolks; whisk in lemon juice and salt.
• Add butter and place pan over medium-high. Cook, whisking constantly, until butter has melted, mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and small bubbles form around the edge of pan, about 5 minutes (do not boil).
• Remove pan from heat while continuing to whisk. Pour curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass bowl. Press plastic wrap against the surface of curd and refrigerate until cool.

FRESH ORANGE CURD

Steps:

• Combine sugar and cornstarch in a 3-quart saucepan; gradually whisk in juice. Whisk in lightly beaten eggs. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, 1-2 minutes or until mixture reaches a pudding like thickness.
• Remove from heat; whisk in butter and orange rind. Cover, placing plastic wrap directly on curd; chill 8 hours.

ORANGE CURD

Steps:

• Combine yolks, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan; whisk to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula (be sure to scrape sides of the pan), until the mixture is thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Let mixture come to a rapid simmer and cook, continually scraping sides of pan, for 2 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Add salt and butter, one piece at a time, stirring until smooth. If desired, strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled and very firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 1/2 weeks.

ORANGE CURD

Steps:

• Remove the zest from the oranges with a vegetable peeler, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced.
• Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar/orange zest mixture and mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the orange juice and salt. Mix until combined.
• Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. The orange curd will be ready when it coats a spoon, and it will register about 175 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Be careful not to overcook, or it will curdle. Remove from the heat and let cool or refrigerate.
• Place the orange curd in a bowl and decoratively arrange the strawberries on a serving platter around the bowl.

LIGHTER LEMON - LIME CURD (NO BUTTER)

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan, over medium heat, dissolve sugar into lemon juice. Add zest.
• Lightly beat egg in a small/medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly pour lemon/sugar syrup into the egg. Beat for 2 minutes (only 1 if you're using a mixer), then transfer back into the saucepan.
• Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until it just starts to bubble at the edges. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Transfer to a small container and store in the fridge.