Matt Lewiss Lemon Curd Food

LEMON CURD SPREAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, whisk eggs, sugar, and zest to combine. Whisk in lemon juice; add butter.
• Cook lemon mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, 7 to 9 minutes. Immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of curd, and refrigerate until cool, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Whisk the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk the whole eggs and yolks in a small bowl, then whisk into the lemon mixture.
• Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it¿s thick like pudding, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until incorporated.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pushing it through with a rubber spatula. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely set, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.

MARTHA STEWART'S CA. 1995 BEST LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Beat the egg yolks until well blended and lemon yellow in colour. Strain the egg yolks through a sieve into a medium-size heavy saucepan. (Sieving removes any shells or albumen; heavy saucpan prevents curdling.).
• Add the sugar and lemon juice, stir to combine, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 10-15 minutes. DO NOT HURRY THE PROCESS OR THE EGGS WILL CURDLE!
• Cook until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and immediately pour through another sieve to catch any "scrambled egg bits". Pour into a heat proof 4 cup measuring cup and stir in the cold butter pieces, which cools down the mixture quickly.
• Add the rind, continue stirring until well-blended.
• Transfer to whatever storage container you want: either a large one or several samll ones.
• Shelf Life: MUST BE REFRIGERATED! Keeps 2 weeks.
• Variations:.
• Lime Curd: substitute lime juice and increase grated lime peel to 2 tablespoons.
• Orange Curd: Use orange juice, decrease sugar to 2/3 cup. 1 tablespoon orange peel.
• Grapefruit Curd: Use grapefruit juice, same sugar and zest as lemon curd.

LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Zest the lemons and juice the lemons.
• Combine the zest, juice, butter, and sugar and place in a small saucepan over low heat.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Beat the eggs and add to the mixture.
• Keeping the heat very low, cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is thickened - 15 minutes or so.
• Do not let the mixture boil or the eggs will curdle.
• Strain the curd to get out large bits of zest and any bits of egg that scrambled into small bowls or jars.
• Refrigerate.