Zesty Lemon Lime Curd
by Jay Wadams
The very best curd is the perfect balance between sweet, sour, creamy and buttery. Whether you eat it spread on toast, fold it through softly whipped cream for filling a sponge cake, or as the base to a quick lemon tart or meringue pie, it is vital to use the freshest lemons and eggs you can find - with so few ingredients you want to make sure that they are all top quality.
Ingredients
- finely grated zest of 2 large lemons unsprayed, organic
- 300 g sugar
- 150 ml lemon juice approx 3 large, juicy lemons
- 50 ml lime juice
- 150 g unsalted butter cubed
- 6 large eggs
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
- Prepare 4-5 medium sized glass jars by washing well with hot soapy water then placing them in a tray in an oven at 120°C /250°F while you prepare the curd. Place the lids in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water.
- Put the lemon zest and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, taking care that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar, releasing all of the fragrant oils. Add the lemon juice, lime juice and butter, stirring with a wooden spoon until the butter is melted - the temperature of the mixture at this point is about 55-60°C.
- In a separate bowl whisk the eggs really well so that absolutely no egg white alone shows, then pour into the lemon mixture through a fine sieve. This will prevent any bits of set egg white spoiling the texture of the finished curd.
- Allow to cook, stirring regularly, but not constantly, with a whisk for 15 minutes checking at least once that the water hasn’t boiled away. The curd will thicken like a custard (which it is!) and reach a temperature of 82-84°C/ 180-183°F.. You should be able to see the tracks left by the whisk in the thickened curd.
- Pour into the prepared jars and seal. Keeps for at least 4 weeks (see note). Once opened store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Lemon curd freezes wonderfully, so if you are planning on keeping for a longer period of time and want it to stay lovely and fresh, fill the jars to a little below the rim and place in the freezer once cooled. I like lemon zest in my curd for the extra flavour, but if you like a really smooth curd, feel free to leave it out.