Count Stephen Darori's Lemon Curd Recipe

 Easy and a wonderful Pesach gift






Curds are a dairy product obtained by coagulating milk in a process called curdling. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet or any edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then allowing it to sit. The increased acidity causes the milk proteins (casein) to tangle into solid masses, or curds. Milk that has been left to sour (raw milk alone or pasteurized milk with added lactic acid bacteria) will also naturally produce curds, and sour milk cheeses are produced this way. Producing cheese curds is one of the first steps in cheesemaking; the curds are pressed and drained to varying amounts for different styles of cheese and different secondary agents (molds for blue cheeses, etc.) are introduced before the desired aging finishes the cheese. The remaining liquid, which contains only whey proteins, is the whey. In cow's milk, 80% of the proteins are caseins.


Preparation timeless than 5 mins
Cooking time10 to 30 mins

Serves
Makes one 500g/1lb 2oz (large) jar or two 250g/9oz (small) jars

Homemade lemon curd is quick and easy and so much more mouthwatering than the shop-bought variety. Nice to spread on matza and makes a wonderful Pesach present in Zion.

Ingredients
4 unwaxed lemons zest and juice
200g/7oz unrefined caster sugar

100g/3½oz unsalted butter cut into cubes
3 free-range eggs, plus 1 free-range egg yolk

Method

Put the lemon zest and juice, the sugar and the butter into a heatproof bowl. Sit the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl. Stir the mixture every now and again until all of the butter has melted.

Lightly whisk the eggs and egg yolk and stir them into the lemon mixture. Whisk until all of the ingredients are well combined, then leave to cook for 10-13 minutes, stirring every now and again, until the mixture is creamy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove the lemon curd from the heat and set aside to cool, stirring occasionally as it cools. Once cooled, spoon the lemon curd into sterilised jars and seal. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Recipe Tips

To sterilise jars, wash the jars in very hot, soapy water or put through the hot cycle of a dishwasher. Place the jars onto a baking tray and slide into an oven set to 160C/325F/Gas 3 for 10-15 minutes.