Lemon/Lime/Citrus Curd: The Topic

[Lisa Shock]

Where does one obtain Bergamot oil, anyway? I've looked for it, but not found it locally....

Amoretti sells both a high quality bergamot oil and a bergamot compound.

[Shel_B]

Yesterday I saw an episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, and the chef at one of the places made a lemon curd using water, as well as the usual ingredients of sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and butter.  This seemed very strange to me, and a preliminary internet search turned up nothing about this technique.

 

Why would water be added to a lemon curd recipe?  Any ideas?

[Panaderia Canadiense]

To stretch when you haven't got enough lemons to make an entire batch with just juice, perhaps?  I'm guilty of doing this occasionally myself, particularly when the lemons are older and not so juicy.

[Mjx]

Might have used water instead of various dairy products, to yield a cleaner citrus flavour. Dairy take the edge off many flavours.

[Chris Hennes]

Mjx, what other dairy products might one use in a curd? I've only ever used butter. I agree with Panaderia Canadiense that it was probably purely a "stretch" move, though I suppose we could be generous and allow that maybe the diner didn't want the intense flavor you get with just lemon juice.

[Shel_B]

Mjx, what other dairy products might one use in a curd? I've only ever used butter. I agree with Panaderia Canadiense that it was probably purely a "stretch" move, though I suppose we could be generous and allow that maybe the diner didn't want the intense flavor you get with just lemon juice.

 

Further investigating brought up a recipe for lemon curd by Alice Waters that used a small amount of milk.  And I vaguely remember a recipe that called for the addition of cream, but I'm not at my computer now, so I can't verify that from my recipe collection.

 

ETA:  I remember now - Cook's Illustrated has a lemon curd recipe that uses heavy cream.

 

I'll be "generous" and go along with your supposition ...

Edited March 2, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[Mjx]

Mjx, what other dairy products might one use in a curd? I've only ever used butter. I agree with Panaderia Canadiense that it was probably purely a "stretch" move, though I suppose we could be generous and allow that maybe the diner didn't want the intense flavor you get with just lemon juice.

 

I've seen milk, and, I think – this was a while back – possibly one of the pourable fermented dairy products. I do remember seeing a couple of lemon and other citrus curd recipes, and flinching and thinking 'Ew', which would be my exact reaction to such an ingredient in this sort of recipe.

[Nich]

I have a favourite recipe that uses creme fraiche, but it's a relatively tiny amount and would not figure into a substitution with water.

[cakewalk]

I've seen recipes using cream and milk, but it is usually to replace some of the butter so the fat content of the lemon curd is decreased somewhat. I don't think the intent is to decrease the lemon flavor. I don't see how water can do the trick, but then I've never tried it. Be interesting to see the proportions of the recipe.

[Kim Shook]

I made lemon curd last night to use up the yolks that I had left after making multiple batches of nuts.  I am detecting a very slight metallic taste (though Mike isn't).  I made it in an improvised double boiler - an aluminum mixing bowl set over simmering water - and whisked with a metal whisk.  I've never noticed this problem before.  Has this happened to anyone else, or is my 'taster' messed up? 

[AAQuesada]

Is your bowl really Alu??? Most kitchen bowls are cheap, thin and non reactive stainless steal. If it really is Alu the lemon could have reacted to it and given it an off taste. 

[Shel_B]

This question of a metallic taste when using lemon has come up before ... you are not alone in your experience.

 

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/40823-lemon/?hl=%2Bmetallic+%2Btaste

Edited November 24, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[Kim Shook]

I am really not sure if the bowl is aluminum or SS.  I bought it over 20 years ago at a Dollar General and it is VERY light.  Maybe just use glass next time?

[Edward J]

I'll never forget the time a first year apprentice made whipped cream with an alumium bowl....

 

She had popped the bowl and s/s whisk in the freezer for a few minutes--as she had been taught, albeit taught with a s/s bowl, neveer aluminum.  She started to whisk and whisk, and was getting very close to whipped cream, but something was wrong....... The whipped cream took on a grey/silver metalic colour, and the cream tasted metalic.  The Chef popped a gasket, threw the bowl and cream into the garbage and issued orders for any aluminum bowl to be "quarantineed".

[cakewalk]

I am really not sure if the bowl is aluminum or SS.  I bought it over 20 years ago at a Dollar General and it is VERY light.  Maybe just use glass next time?

I don't think glass conducts heat very well, so you might be whisking for a very long time.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Hey Kim,

 

I agree with cakewalk that glass doesn't conduct heat well, but you'd eventually get their anyway. We bake in glass pans.

 

Did you use any cut and stored lemons or older uncut lemons?

 

Cut lemons have a really short shelf life, and citrus in general, to me, has a short shelf life for optimum flavor. Limes will show their age with brown spots on the skin, but actually taste better than old lemons whose skins do not reveal their age.

 

I usually make "key" lime pie topped with meringue with common limes, because real key limes are scarcer than hen's teeth around here. It's always delicious with no off flavors, but because I need so many limes, they're always bought fresh for the purpose.

 

One of my staples I like to have on hand is a lemon or two in case the husband comes home with a fish or so he wants cooked, but I have to keep an eye on the lemon's age, and use them up in beverages or something if no timely fish appears. Aged lemons are really nasty tasting. Don't know if I'd call it metallic, but it surely is off-putting.

 

So glad to hear you're feeling better. 

[Kim Shook]

The lemons were brand new and very fresh, so I don't think that would be the case.  Is there some way of telling if a bowl is aluminum or SS?  The color of the curd was perfect.

[Anna N]

A magnet will not stick to an aluminum pan. However, it may not stick to a stainless pan either. So if the magnet sticks then it is definitely not aluminum. If it doesn't stick then you be may be no further ahead.

[Kim Shook]

Thanks, Anna.  The magnet did stick to the bowl that I used.  So it isn't aluminum.  So I still don't know why my curd tasted metallic.    

[Kerry Beal]

Any of the prep items aluminum - measuring cups, juicer?

 

Here is some discussion on Serious Eats.

Edited November 29, 2014 by Kerry Beal (log)

[JohnT]

Kim, you say your lemons were fresh, but were they fully ripe? What I am asking is if the skins were still green, partially green or full yellow?

John

Edited November 29, 2014 by JohnT (log)

[Shel_B]

I make my lemon curd using a double boiler.  Is there an ideal or recommended temperature for the water so the curd doesn't cook too fast or get too hot?  I've been keeping the water below boiling, around 200-deg F, but is there a better temp?  Thanks!

[jmacnaughtan]

Keeping it at a simmer is fine, but you don't need a double boiler.  Cook it like you'd cook a crème anglaise over direct heat, and pull it off and strain once it thickens (around 75-80°C).

[Shel_B]

Keeping it at a simmer is fine, but you don't need a double boiler.  Cook it like you'd cook a crème anglaise over direct heat, and pull it off and strain once it thickens (around 75-80°C).

 

Maybe I'll give that a try when making the next batch. It'll make cooking the curd a little simpler.  I've always used a double boiler - that's how I was taught.

[jmacnaughtan]

Maybe I'll give that a try when making the next batch. It'll make cooking the curd a little simpler.  I've always used a double boiler - that's how I was taught.

 

Double boilers are fine if you have the time and are scared of curdling it.  Some recipes actually call for boiling the juice, sugar and egg mixture, but I really don't like the texture you get from that.  Take it to 80°C, strain and let it cool to about 40°C and blitz in the butter (lots of butter), and you're golden.

 

To make it even better, add a touch of gelatin when it's hot, leave to rest overnight then whip it up.  The gelatin makes it freeze stable, so you can use it in a bûche or entremet.