What do you make when you have a glut of eggs, too much butter in your fridge and some lemons?
Lemon curd of course.
First I consulted my bible on all things jam and preserve related Marguerite Pattern’s Basic Basics, Jams Preserves and Chutneys . I use this as a guide any time I make any preserves, but I often change the recipe. This time I didn’t agree with her way of getting the rind off the lemon (rubbing it with sugar) and felt the quantity of sugar was too high, so I cut it down by about 25%. I also increased the number off eggs. This wasn’t intentional, I have only just realised it on looking back at the book.
So for 3 eggs and 3 lemons I used 175g (6 oz) of sugar and 115g (4oz) of butter.
First take of the rind of the lemons – I used a lemon zester. Put the zest into a bowl big enough to use as a bain marie.
Then juice the lemons. You don’t need all the juice, just 4 tablespoons, but I juiced it all anyway and put the spare in the fridge. Once the lemons have been zested they don’t keep very well.
Add the juice to the peel then add the sugar and stir. Put in your butter.
I think next time I will try and soften (or even melt) the butter first as it took a while to melt these big bits.
Put the bowl onto a pan of boiling water and stir until all the butter has melted.
Break your eggs and whisk them, then add them to the hot mixture, still on the double boiler.
Almost done. now all you have to do is stir it until it sets. You don’t want to over cook it as it will turn into scrambled eggs, and you don’t want to under cook it as it won’t spread properly. Mine took about 15 mins.
And here it is, a bowl of golden loveliness (yes it really is that colour – our hens free range). It hasn’t suffered at all from the extra egg, and I think I could cut down the sugar even further. I could eat it as it is with a spoon, but it is lovely spread onto jam, or biscuits, or scones, or put into a tart case to make a lemon tart. If you put it in a jar it will keep in the fridge for a week or two. (makes about 1 jar).
Frenchfancy Makes 