If life gives you lemons...

Next up for the Christmas packages is Lemon Curd.

I'm using a Nigel Slater recipe.  I've always like Mr Slater, not because his recipes are good (which they are) but because of the way my mother talks about him.  "Well Nigel says...." she'll start, as we discuss the dinner she's just cooked.  She talks about him confidentially, as if they were best friends.

My mother I should add at this point is an outstanding cook.  If I ever grow up I want to be able to cook like her.

Mr Slater's recipe makes two small jars and I need four, so I am doubling up the quantities.  I can't see that this will present any problems, on a recipe I've not made before.

Lemon Curd

Most lemon curd recipes instruct you to stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. I find that stirring lightly with a whisk introduces just a little more lightness into the curd, making it slightly less solid and more wobbly.

Makes 2 small jam jars
zest and juice of 4 unwaxed lemons It turns out that 8 lemons is rather a lot to zest and juice.  I immediately lose concentration and zest part of my thumb off.  I decide to sulk, put on some loud music and have a diet coke break before carrying on.  Obviously this is to prevent me bleeding into the lemon curd and NOT because I am a massive child.
200g sugar
100g butter
3 eggs and 1 egg yolk

Put the lemon zest and juice, the sugar and the butter, cut into cubes, into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the basin doesn't touch the water. Stir with a whisk from time to time until the butter has melted

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Mix the eggs and egg yolk lightly with a fork, then stir into the lemon mixture. Let the curd cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes, until it is thick and custard-like.  It should feel heavy on the whisk. I cooked mine for slightly longer as I've doubled the quantities.  I have no idea if this is a good idea or not.  I also use this time to skim out any pips that escaped into the mixture earlier.

Also I am not really sure what he means by "Heavy on the whisk", but it looks ok when I take it off the heat to cool.

  
Remove from the heat and stir occasionally as it cools. Pour into spotlessly clean jars and seal.

This actually made three and a half jars, which is fine as the forth was really only for quality control purposes.  I shall hand the half jar over to Phil to see what he makes of it.  As with the chili jam, I used wax paper circles before putting the lids on.  Hopefully this will prevent the whole lot rotting before Christmas comes.  I also managed to break a jar while sterilizing them.