From the page: The kitchen's acid gold
Idea 3
Lemon curd
Curd is an English cream from the 19th century, created back when there was no refrigeration and egg yolks needed to be used quickly. Lemon juice denatures the egg proteins over low heat, and butter plus sugar thicken everything into a silky texture — simple chemistry that yields a cream that keeps for weeks.
What you need
- Juice of 3 to 4 lemons (about 120 ml)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 whole eggs + 1 yolk
- 100 g of sugar
- 50 g of butter
- A small saucepan, a whisk or wooden spoon, and a glass jar
How to make it
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1
Warm the juice with the zest and sugar over low heat until dissolved, because the warm liquid incorporates the eggs without cooking them outright.
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2
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the yolk until homogeneous — this guarantees a smooth curd with no strands of egg white.
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3
Combine the eggs with the warm liquid while stirring constantly, over low heat: constant agitation keeps the egg from curdling into lumps.
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4
Add the butter little by little, stirring until it melts and thickens — it takes about 8 to 10 minutes, until it coats the back of the spoon.
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5
Strain through a sieve to make it velvety and transfer, while still hot, to the clean glass jar.
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6
Let cool and refrigerate: the cooling firms up the jam-like creamy texture.
Finishing touches
It's wonderful on toast, as cake filling or with yogurt. Sealed in the fridge, it keeps for up to 3 weeks.
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