When this is made correctly it is pale and looks like thick custard..when it is made with starch thickeners and other substitutes it is bright yellow and see-through.
This recipe is the old fashioned and original.
I grew up on this on bread and butter, toast, crumpets, and sometimes on plain cake.
It tastes like a buttery, eggy, lemony cream and does NOT contain lemon zest..the lemon flavor has to be subtle and NOT tart, but also not too sweet.
The preparation has to be done properly too.
All the Jelly Jars HAVE TO BE STERILIZED IN BOILING WATER, and drip dried JUST BEFORE FILLING with hot curd, then sterilized and sealed as in any good canning method..in BOILING water.
As this is an egg and butter creation..any mold that may develop ( jars improperly sterilized or sealed), will have severe health consequences...if for any reason a mold does develop throw it away, the whole jar, do not be tempted to scrape the mold off.
This IS NOT a good recipe to try and convert to vegan....as it HAS to be made with fresh butter and fresh eggs..margarine will produce a substandard product.
For the all time BEST Lemon Curd, read on:
You will need:
6 large eggs well beaten
2 cups cane sugar (white)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup butter
Makes 3 small pots (and smaller pots are advisable as this is a rich product and a little goes along way)..once opened the pots HAVE to be refrigerated, and this will not last long once opened ( 2 weeks max.).
It is best to keep the recipe as is and not multiply unless you are planning to feed the neighbors, and once they taste this you will be making it every week for them.
In a heatproof dish over simmering water (not boiling and don't allow any water to go into the mix) add the butter, and lemon juice, stir to dissolve.
Add the sugar and then the eggs and beat to being mixing then a wooden spoon and cook the mix until it coats the back of the spoon. It will thicken up as it cools..thick enough to be served in "dollops", like whipped or clotted cream
Remove from water bath, and wipe dry the base of the bowl, then pour into sterilised jars, leaving 1/4inch at top.
Seal with paraffin wax. Or rubber seals and then sterilize in boiling water (cover the jar completely) for 3 mins.
Remove to a wooden chopping board and allow to cool, if using screw lids these will pop as they cool..showing seal is secure...also most canning jars do come with instructions on sterilization.
Use when cold on bread, cakes, cheese cakes, tarts, fresh fruit (strawberries dipped in this are wonderful), meringue nests with mashed berries and topped with this and whipped cream is a great summer dessert.
This recipe may also be used for orange curd and lime curd, substituting same amounts of their juice.
As a child I loved this (and still do) and it was made by local farmer's wives and sold at our local markets along with some 12 inch wide Oat Cakes..very thin almost unleavened breads, toasted for tea.
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