I stopped posting recipes at this time last year because I’d finished Mike’s “cook once a week” challenge…and because that’s when I found out I was pregnant with James, and the hyperemesis had already started! Since that is gone, I’ve been back in the kitchen and I’ve really been enjoying myself. The nine months of being horribly sick really made me appreciate food in a whole new way. I’m having fun discovering new recipes…you guys, I have been making kale every night. And I think it’s delicious. I am like some kind of pod person!
Even though I’m not eating sugar these days, it’s nice to make a treat every now and then. We had guests coming over, so I decided to try my Nana’s lemon curd recipe. I’ve never made it myself because my Aunt Lynn always knocks it out of the park. But, we have two lemon trees in our backyard and I am always struggling to use all the lemons they produce. My aunt assured me the recipe was easy so I attempted it…and she was right (of course), it is very easy!
Nana’s Homemade Lemon Curd
1 stick of butter
1 ½ cups of sugar
½ cup fresh lemon juice (typically 3 lemons)
2-3 tsp. lemon rind
5 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk
In a saucepan, over low heat melt the butter and sugar together along with the lemon juice and lemon rind. Lightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl.
When the lemon mixture is melted (the butter and sugar), whisk 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon mixture into the eggs (a tablespoon at a time) to warm up the eggs without cooking them. This is tempering.
Then whisk the egg mixture into the remaining lemon mixture. Be sure to keep whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling. (My aunt says, “I usually take the lemon mixture off of the heat while doing this.”)
Now cook the entire mixture over a low/medium heat until it comes to the boil. Be sure to stir often. When the mixture comes to a boil, it should be thick.
Remove from the heat and cool. If you want your fresh lemon curd to be really smooth, you can put the cooked curd through a strainer. Then store your lemon cured in a glass bowl or glass jars.
Serve it up with cookies or biscuits. Might I suggest shortbread? Because it is perfection with lemon curd.
Annabel and Mike could not WAIT to try the lemon curd. I think maybe they are sick of kale.
James is so over it.
Enjoy!
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 ½ cups of sugar
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (typically 3 lemons)
- 2-3 tsp. lemon rind
- 5 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk.
- In a saucepan, over low heat melt the butter and sugar together along with the
- lemon juice and lemon rind.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl.
- When the lemon mixture is melted (the butter and sugar), whisk 2-3 tablespoons
- of the lemon mixture into the eggs (a tablespoon at a time) to warm up the eggs
- without cooking them. This is tempering.
- Then whisk the egg mixture into the remaining lemon mixture. Be sure to keep
- whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling. I usually take the lemon mixture
- off of the heat while doing this.
- Now cook the entire mixture over a low/medium heat until it comes to the boil.
- Be sure to stir often. When the mixture comes to a boil, it should be thick.
- Remove from the heat and cool.* Then store your lemon cured in a glass bowl or
- glass jars.
- *If you want your fresh lemon curd to be really smooth, you can put the cooked curd through a strainer and then into a glass bowl or jars.
Anna Marie says:
I LOVE lemon curd. I could eat it straight from the jar with a spoon, but it’s extra yummy over gingerbread.
Paula says:
Yay! You’re cooking and not vomiting! I love to cook but have lost the time with work and school.
Kitty @ LambAround: Life with my Sexy Nerd says:
You have much more patience than me, Heather! I love lemon curd too, but I use the lazy person’s (aka ME) recipe: http://lambaround.blogspot.com/2013/04/lemon-curd-recipe.html
HeatherMarie says:
This looks amazing!
…also, are you going to post some yummy kale recipes? I’d love to try some ways hubs might love it. =)
Heather says:
Maybe, once I learn some – right now, I cook it the same way every time, just with broth. Boring but yummy!
Heather R says:
Seriously, lemon curd is one of those things I can eat straight from the jar and not feel one ounce of guilt doing it.
mar says:
Heather – wow looks yummy! I had hyperemesis too, and I very distinctly remember afterwards how even the plainest food suddenly was unbelievably delicious after pregnancy!
I love all things lemon, I think I might have to try this one. I have a question – I make freezer jam all the time, and one reason is that a batch is too much for us to use up before it goes bad, so I love that I can freeze the extra jars until I am ready to use them. Have you (or your aunt or Nana) ever tried to freeze the lemon curd?
Heather says:
Hi Mar! Well, now I want to try freezer jam! I asked my aunt about freezing it, and she said yes! So make it and freeze away!
ColleenMN says:
Anything lemon was the only food that appealed to me when I was pregnant. I have never had lemon curd and this looks great. Is the texture something that would work as a cake or cupcake filling?
Heather says:
Definitely! And it would be delicious!
Alice says:
I’m sure you already know this, but those shell shaped biscuits you posted with the lemon curd are called ‘Madeleines’!!
GreenInOC says:
Love homemade lemon curd! If you find the Martha Stewart recipe for Ricotta Cheesecake, homemade lemon curd and fresh blueberries are divine on it.
I love to grate the rind and put in the freezer to use in recipes for later.
Then, juice those lemons, strain the juice and put in ice cube trays. One lemon ice cube is perfect in a nice glass of water or iced tea. (**I only strain it if it’s for company, if it’s for myself then I don’t care about the pulp!**)
Take the 1/2 lemons (that have been juiced & grated), and put them in muffin tins. Put about 1 teaspoon of rock type salt (aquarium salt is chunky and cheap), then fill with vinegar.
Put the muffin tin in the freezer and once they’re frozen through store in the freezer. Put one in your sink disposal everyday to keep it from smelling!