How to make Lemon Curd and Candied Lemon Peels

I love the taste of lemon and I have been wanting to make lemon curd for ages.  However, butter and eggs was the reason that kept me from making it.  However, even if I have been avoiding eggs and butter as much as I can, I still want to make a few things at least once and since I could not avoid the eggs, I used a becel proactive margarine instead of using butter.

When I went to the supermarket I bought some lovely organic lemons, especially for this reason.

I google searched to find more about how to make it and the Joy of Baking gave the best instructions.  While reading other recipes I also came across this recipe and the idea of making lemon peels to be used for decoration in desserts, kept swirling into my mind.

How to make Lemon Curd

Preparation time:  10 minutes

Cooking time:  about 15 minutes

Makes: 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)

Ingredients:

3 large eggs, beaten
2 - 3 organic lemons, for 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 1/3 cup lemon juice
4 tablespoon (56 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces (I used becel proactive margarine)
¾ cup (150 grams) fine granulated sugar

Directions

Whisk eggs with a hand mixer.
In a stainless steel bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended.
Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. (I skipped this step).
Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
Cover immediately (so a skin doesn’t form) and refrigerate for up to a week.

How to make Candied Lemon Peels

Preparation time:  10 minutes

Cooking time:  about 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Peels of 3 organic lemons
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Directions:

Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemons in long strips (yellow part only).
Place in a saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover and bring to boil. Drain and repeat blanching 2 more times.
Bring sugar and water to boil in saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Add lemon peels and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Using slotted spoon, transfer peel to prepared sheet.
Sprinkle 1 cup sugar over and toss to coat.
Let dry at room temperature about 2 hours.
Transfer lemon peel mixture to airtight container. Store peel at room temperature.
Pour syrup into clean sterilized jar and store in refrigerator for future use.
There will be some leftover sugar after coating the lemon peels.  Do not discard but use it in other desserts.

Note:

Sugar used to coat lemon peels can be used in other desserts.


When boiling the lemon peels, you may use the third lemon water to boil and flavour rice.
Syrup used to boil the lemon peels may be used to wet sponge cakes, biscuits to be used in desserts or in any other recipe using syrup.
The lemon curd may be stored in sterile jars up to a week in the refrigerators.  A few uses of lemon curd are: on bread and toast, just like we use jam, in tarts, between biscuits, on pancakes, to glaze cakes or thinned down as a sauce.
A few recipes using these ingredients will be posted soon.

Just a reminder:  The polls on the Royal Joust are now open, so if you liked  my recipe please vote for my recipe here.

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