There was a time - not so long ago, in fact - where I would have described my feelings to lemon curd somewhere close to loathing. If not worse. But now I can’t for the life of me think why. I liked everything else lemon related, but lemon curd was verging on being my nemesis.

OK, so I might be embellishing that last little bit a little, but it’s not so far off as to be completely wrong. It’s really weird. I’m taking suggestions as to why it was - that’s how stumped I am.

Conversely, I now absolutely adore lemon curd - to the point that I’d quite happily sit with a jar and a spoon eating it until I made myself ill. Perhaps this is one of those ‘growing up’ signs; but I think those that know me might question how accurate that is in my case.

So the reason this has all come out is because I ended up making lemon curd for the first time the other day. It’s my entry for this month’s Random Recipes challenge (hosted by Dom of Belleau Kitchen) - the special big 30 edition, no less. This month we had to pick the 30th book of our cookbook shelf (I had to scroll back round to the beginning to get to 30, my Great British Bake Off book - clearly a sign that I need to buy some more cookbooks) and make the recipe from page 30. Lemon curd wasn’t at the top of my to make list - well, it wasn’t on it at all until fairly recently - but a challenge is a challenge (I’m such a sucker for a challenge), and once again I’m really glad that Random Recipes has kicked me from my comfort zone.

The more eagle-eyed and GBBO book-loving amongst you may have already started scanning through your copy of the rules and started tutting, and for those curious to know why let me tell you - this recipe is on page 32, not 30. I know, I know. Page 30 it was meant to be and I wilfully took creative license with it. I feel justified though, because 30 is an amazing looking lemon cream cake. Odd, I know, that I chose to pass it over, but I made a fairly large cake last week (soon to be blogged about) and I’ll be making one twice the size (to feed 30!) in the next week or so, which has left me a little (dare I say it) ‘caked out’. The rules do make an exception for not following the exact page number, and I’m going to suggest that this may count as just such an occasion (OK, so I’m totally cheating, I realise that, but it was that or not taking part). The same rules state go to the next page, but as page 31 is photo of the recipe on pg 30, I skipped on to 32: Lemon Curd. Simple as - totally justifiable, right?

Having made a batch I can confirm that I am most definitely over my dislike of lemon curd. To the extent that a couple of days after taking these photos, I sat there with a teaspoon and the scrapped the last bits out of the dish you see in the photo on the basis that it was ‘too much to throw away, but not enough to justify putting it back in the fridge’. There was most definitely enough to justify it going back, but that’s a minor detail we can gloss over. I now have plans for making more and using it in a variety of bakes, so watch this space for more curd and cake related posts!

Lemon Curd

This recipe is adapted from the Great British Bake Off’s How to Bake - adapted because I didn’t have enough butter (for once, I’ve not stockpiled). It makes approximately 2 jars worth. The recipe suggests it can last for up to two weeks after you make it, but given that I’m 6 days past making it and two-thirds of mine has gone I guess I won’t be testing that ‘best before’ deadline.

Ingredients

3 unwaxed lemons
3 large eggs
100g butter
225g caster sugar

Directions

Zest the lemons into a large pyrex (or similar) bowl and too it add the sugar. Cube the butter and place into the bowl before juicing the lemons into it as well.

Set a pan of water on the hob, place the bowl on top and bring the water up to a simmer - don’t let the water touch the base of the bowl. Stir over the heat until the butter and sugar are melted; you should be able to stir the mixture without feeling any grains of sugar.

Remove the bowl from the heat and crack the three eggs into the mix one by one. Stir these into the mixture well, but don’t beat them excessively. Turn the heat down a notch and place the bowl back over the pan. Do not let this mixture boil or the eggs will scramble, simple as that.

Continue stirring the lemony liquid over the heat until it becomes opaque and starts to thicken. To test if it’s ready remove your wooden spoon and draw your finger across the back of it, if a clear line is visible the curd is ready.

Remove from the heat immediately and pour/spoon into pre-sterilised jars. Set aside to cool then put the lids on and store in the Friday. Use within 2 weeks.

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Craig Craig (257 Posts)

Edinburgh-dwelling, baking and food-obsessed, twenty-something adventure enthusiast. Runs on liberal amounts of coffee, cheese, cake and gin; bribable with same.