Lemon/Lime/Citrus Curd: The Topic

[Shel_B]

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.

 

Thanks for the push to making the curd in a saucepan directly over the heat.  I made a small, personal batch this evening, riffing a little from this David Lebovitz recipe: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/12/improved-lemon-curd/ .  The curd was completed in ten minutes, start to finish (including measuring and prepping the ingredients), and it turned out pretty well.  I'll definitely use this technique in the future.  I like the simplicity, the speed, and the easy cleanup ... perfect for spur of the moment curd.

[jmacnaughtan]

Thanks for the push to making the curd in a saucepan directly over the heat.  I made a small, personal batch this evening, riffing a little from this David Lebovitz recipe: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/12/improved-lemon-curd/ .  The curd was completed in ten minutes, start to finish (including measuring and prepping the ingredients), and it turned out pretty well.  I'll definitely use this technique in the future.  I like the simplicity, the speed, and the easy cleanup ... perfect for spur of the moment curd.

 

That looks like a pretty reliable recipe.  I'd still add the butter after- you get a stiffer, more spreadable and manageable consistency when you blitz in cold butter rather than cook it all together.  Otherwise, it can tend to be a little gloopy.

[Shel_B]

That looks like a pretty reliable recipe.  I'd still add the butter after- you get a stiffer, more spreadable and manageable consistency when you blitz in cold butter rather than cook it all together.  Otherwise, it can tend to be a little gloopy.

 

I always add my butter at the end, after the curd has been removed from the heat.  That was one of the riffs on the recipe that I used. 

 

In addition, to keep things simpler, I used three whole eggs instead of two yolks and two whole eggs.  Anyway, I like making curd with whole eggs ...

[jmacnaughtan]

I always add my butter at the end, after the curd has been removed from the heat.  That was one of the riffs on the recipe that I used. 

 

In addition, to keep things simpler, I used three whole eggs instead of two yolks and two whole eggs.  Anyway, I like making curd with whole eggs ...

 

That's what I tend to do as well.  I already have more than enough egg whites kicking round the freezer without generating any more.

 

Now you've mastered lemon curd, you could take it up a notch and make a lemon chiboust- adding gelatin to the hot egg/sugar/lemon mixture once cooked, incorporating the butter and while warm folding in an Italian meringue.  Works beautifully in a lemon tart.

[Shel_B]

That's what I tend to do as well.  I already have more than enough egg whites kicking round the freezer without generating any more.

 

Now you've mastered lemon curd, you could take it up a notch and make a lemon chiboust- adding gelatin to the hot egg/sugar/lemon mixture once cooked, incorporating the butter and while warm folding in an Italian meringue.  Works beautifully in a lemon tart.

 

I wouldn't say that I've mastered lemon curd, but at least I can whip up a good one using three different techniques, and have learned how to adjust tartness and mouth feel pretty well. The people I give it to all seem to enjoy it, which is most important and satisfying.

 

In an earlier post, you said  "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 entremets."

 

Is that similar to a chiboust?  In any case, I don't know what chiboust, bûche, or entremets are.  However, I do like the idea of using a curd for other recipes, and have just started looking at how these recipes can be used in tarts.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[jmacnaughtan]

I wouldn't say that I've mastered lemon curd, but at least I can whip up a good one using three different techniques, and have learned how to adjust tartness and mouth feel pretty well. The people I give it to all seem to enjoy it, which is most important and satisfying.

 

In an earlier post, you said  "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 entremets."

 

Is that similar to a chiboust?  In any case, I don't know what chiboust, bûche, or entremets are.  However, I do like the idea of using a curd for other recipes, and have just started looking at how these recipes can be used in tarts.

 

It's not really similar to a chiboust- it just makes the lemon curd that much lighter and creamier.  A chiboust is always lightened with Italian meringue and set with gelatin.  A vanilla chiboust is traditionally used to make a Saint-Honoré.

 

An entremet is, essentially, a mousse cake.  You have a cake or pastry base, a mousse to act as the body and at least one insert to add a new flavour and/or texture.  This is assembled in a cake ring or mould, frozen, then unmoulded and finished.  This is an example of a complex entremet, but they can be much simpler.

 

A bûche (de Noël) is a Yule Log.  Traditionally it's a rolled sponge, filled with buttercream or ganache, then decorated to look like a log.  Modern ones are made like entremets using a half-cylinder mould, giving chefs much more flexibility about what they put in them.

 

The whipped lemon curd works beautifully as an insert to an entremet or bûche (like this one, second down), or to fill a tart.  The chiboust is much lighter, and could be used in the place of a mousse or to fill a tart shell.  Or, even better, use lemon marmelade, lemon curd and lemon chiboust for a tart.

[Shel_B]

Is it necessary to sterilize the jars used for lemon and other citrus curds?  Wouldn't the acid in the juice prevent the growth of any bad things? 

[Simon Lewinson]

Even though the curd is acidic i would sterilise the jars - I personally use the dishwasher to do this job. Have the product ready to bottle when the cycle ends. The jars are steaming hot and ready to go.

Simon

[Deryn]

Yes. Sterilizing is a fast and simple thing to do - why not be safe? You can sterilize them in a low oven, or a pot of boiling water, or as Simon said, in the dishwasher. Some even do it in the microwave (add a bit of water and heat) I gather.

Lemon curd has a limited lifespan as it is, even refrigerated (max. probably 2-3 weeks unopened) - because it also contains eggs - particularly if you don't also water bath process the jars after filling. If you open it and don't use it all, be sure to use an impeccably clean spoon to dip it out each time too. It can be frozen though for longer periods but I wouldn't do that in jars.

[cakewalk]

Depends on the quantity you're making. I make small batches for personal consumption (2-4 cups or so). I keep some in the fridge, give some away. It rarely lasts more than 3-4 days (because it gets eaten, not because it spoils). I never sterilize the jars, never had a problem. If you're making large batches and they're going to sit around for a while, then it's another story.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

If you have a dishwasher with a high heat setting, it's easy to sterilize your jars. The dishes are so hot they'll burn your hands after the wash cycle. 

 

I have frozen stuff for years in canning jars. The thick glass with coated metal lids are very good oxygen barriers. Usually soups, stock, juice or other liquid. You just have to leave plenty of headroom so the frozen stuff doesn't expand beyond it's space. I usually leave 1-1/2" to be safe. Overfill it, and the frozen liquid will break the glass from the internal pressure.

 

I'm not sure I'd want to freeze lemon curd because I'd be afraid the egg content would cause the smooth texture to change, but I love that option for extension of the viable usability of foods.

 

Perhaps Deryn has experience to share with this aspect of freezing lemon curd?

[Shel_B]

If you have a dishwasher with a high heat setting, it's easy to sterilize your jars. The dishes are so hot they'll burn your hands after the wash cycle. 

 

I have frozen stuff for years in canning jars. The thick glass with coated metal lids are very good oxygen barriers. Usually soups, stock, juice or other liquid. You just have to leave plenty of headroom so the frozen stuff doesn't expand beyond it's space. I usually leave 1-1/2" to be safe. Overfill it, and the frozen liquid will break the glass from the internal pressure.

 

I'm not sure I'd want to freeze lemon curd because I'd be afraid the egg content would cause the smooth texture to change, but I love that option for extension of the viable usability of foods.

 

Perhaps Deryn has experience to share with this aspect of freezing lemon curd?

 

No dishwasher here.  I've no intention of freezing my curd.  I'll just sterilize the jars in an appropriate manner.

[Deryn]

I have frozen it. No separation at all. Followed the advice of the 'National Center for Home Food Preservation' (http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/freezer_lemoncurd.html). They say it can be frozen for up to a year, defrost in fridge. Mine didn't stay there that long however.

[Soupcon]

I love lemon curd and make my own using whole eggs and no water bath. It does come to a boil and does not curdle. I am wondering how to can lemon curd (or even if it is possible to can lemon curd) as I cannot possibly eat the quantity I make over a short period of time without gaining weight precipitously. Any thoughts on how to achieve this. I do have a pressure canner but not enough freezer space to contemplate freezing it.

 

[blue_dolphin]

3 hours ago, Soupcon said:

I love lemon curd and make my own using whole eggs and no water bath. It does come to a boil and does not curdle. I am wondering how to can lemon curd (or even if it is possible to can lemon curd) as I cannot possibly eat the quantity I make over a short period of time without gaining weight precipitously. Any thoughts on how to achieve this. I do have a pressure canner but not enough freezer space to contemplate freezing it.

 

 

You can water bath can lemon curd though the pH should be sufficiently acidic so most safety-oriented preserving sites like this one will recommend using bottled lemon juice since the acidity of fresh lemons is so variable. 

[Soupcon]

14 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

You can water bath can lemon curd though the pH should be sufficiently acidic so most safety-oriented preserving sites like this one will recommend using bottled lemon juice since the acidity of fresh lemons is so variable. 

 Thank you for the reply. Any clue as to what pH I need the lemon juice to be so that it is acidic enough as I hate bottled lemon or lime juice. Perhaps also adding citric acid if it is not the correct pH might also help. Litmus paper for testing pH can't be that hard to acquire. Water bath preserving is much easier to do in small batches (like 8  8oz  bottles) as my pressure canner is quite large and I would hate to fire it up for such a small quantity.

[Anna N]

This site which I have found to be mainly reliable suggests that you can water bath  process lemon curd but that even having done that it will need to be refrigerated. However they are giving a refrigerated shelflife of three months  which might be helpful.  Once open however even refrigerated the shelf life is  short. 

 

Here.

 

 

[Soupcon]

14 minutes ago, Anna N said:

This site which I have found to be mainly reliable suggests that you can water bath  process lemon curd but that even having done that it will need to be refrigerated. However they are giving a refrigerated shelflife of three months  which might be helpful.  Once open however even refrigerated the shelf life is  short. 

 

Here.

 

 

@ Anna N

Thanks for the suggestion. I am afraid I am the only one in my family who likes lemon curd and I doubt that I can consume 2 quarts in probably 4 months. The curd I make is actually quite tart unlike most of the other recipes I have found and is fool proof but does make large amounts for a single person to consume.  Which is why I was looking for a way to preserve the curd without ruining it and also not taking up freezer space. Looks like the freezer is the only route I have left. 

[Anna N]

 What prevents you from cutting down the recipe?

Edited September 21, 2017 by Anna N (log)

[Soupcon]

@Anna N Never too late to reply. Well I have found a method for making lemon curd in a blender (Vitamix or blender of it's kind) which can be made in about 6 minutes. The Vitamix does all the cooking. I usually use a recipe calling for whole eggs and which brings the curd to a simmer for a minute to two and tweaked it for the Vitamix. Bloody genius. The finished product needs to be stashed in the fridge to set. Yummmm. See "thekitchn.com for the method. Use what ever recipe you like and tweak it to fit. 

[David Ross]

 This is a simple little raspberry tart with lemon curd that I do every year at this time.  Just a shortbread pastry in a small mold, lemon curd and fresh raspberries.  It's good with whipped cream or ice cream.  I couldn't find an old photo but I also do a raspberry napoleon with layers of puff pastry, lemon curd and raspberries, then a dusting of powdered sugar on top.  Not fancy but easy to make and delicious when the raspberries are in season.

[chromedome]

18 hours ago, Soupcon said:

@Anna N Never too late to reply. Well I have found a method for making lemon curd in a blender (Vitamix or blender of it's kind) which can be made in about 6 minutes. The Vitamix does all the cooking. I usually use a recipe calling for whole eggs and which brings the curd to a simmer for a minute to two and tweaked it for the Vitamix. Bloody genius. The finished product needs to be stashed in the fridge to set. Yummmm. See "thekitchn.com for the method. Use what ever recipe you like and tweak it to fit. 

I've bookmarked that one for future use. I do love me some lemon curd, and since I lucked into a (vintage) Vitamix at the thrift store for $25 I've been looking for reasons to use it (I prefer a stick blender for soups, and I don't do smoothies, so it hasn't seen a lot of play so far).

[blue_dolphin]

On 6/13/2018 at 1:44 PM, Soupcon said:

@Anna N Never too late to reply. Well I have found a method for making lemon curd in a blender (Vitamix or blender of it's kind) which can be made in about 6 minutes. The Vitamix does all the cooking. I usually use a recipe calling for whole eggs and which brings the curd to a simmer for a minute to two and tweaked it for the Vitamix. Bloody genius. The finished product needs to be stashed in the fridge to set. Yummmm. See "thekitchn.com for the method. Use what ever recipe you like and tweak it to fit. 

 

I tried the high speed blender method that @Soupcon mentions (Recipe: Easy Blender Lemon Curd) to make some lime curd and it is indeed very quick and easy. 

I followed the recipe as written, just substituting lime for lemon.

As in the photo on the website, it's opaque rather than the somewhat translucent product that I'm used to but it was fine for my purpose. 

This photo was when it was still warm, it's set up a bit more now that it's cool but it's still a soft curd. 

The texture is very smooth. I microplaned the zest but didn't strain it and it's undetectable.  Guess 5 min at high speed in a Blendtec will do that. 

[AKS613]

I always mix the butter and sugar until fluffy and light, add the eggs and yolks, followed by the juice. It will look curdled, but that’s okay. I put it into a small enameled cast iron pot-not a double boiler- over low heat until it smooths out and doesn’t look curdled anymore, stirring all the time. Then turn up to medium and stir until thick, (making sure that it gets to at least 160F to kill bacteria). Just don’t let it boil. Once thickened, take off heat and add the zest. Turns out perfectly every time!

[Cahoot]

For those who've tried the Pierre Herme recipe, how would it compare in a lemon meringue pie compared to the traditional cornstarch-thickened filling? My intuition is that it may not set up as well (can always sub whole eggs for yolks and/or add a little bit of gelatin), and it may be a bit too rich (don't know how you could fix that), but the idea of using it instead of the usual cornstarch filling is very appealing to me.

 

On a tangential note, all recipes that I see online for lemon meringue pie use a regular French meringue. They then run into problems like weeping from an undercooked bottom of the meringue, and hence they have to use fixes like putting the meringue on the still-hot filling. Why don't they just use Swiss or Italian meringues, which would also make things simpler since they don't have to bake for as long, thereby also preventing beading from an overcooked top? I'm still just a beginner, so someone please correct me if my intuitions are wrong.