I didn’t really get the whole royal wedding obsession last week. I was actually sort of shocked when I saw how many of my friends got up early to watch as I scrolled through Facebook updates walking into work on Friday. But I myself started watching re-runs of it Friday night. And once I started watching, I couldn’t stop.
Somewhere between being completely gaga over how beautiful Kate, er, Catherine looked and watching Harry and Pippa flirting with each other, I think I got myself into a British frame of mind for the weekend because I made lemon curd and scones.
I’m not generally a lemon curd kind of girl. It’s mostly been off my radar for most of my adult life.
The case of pretty Weck jars that came in the mail last week probably had something to do with this project, in all fairness. I had intended to fill them with jam, pronto (I have the recipe picked out and everything), but well, there really isn’t any fruit at the Farmers’ Markets in town yet. I guess fruit doesn’t grow when it’s 30 degrees out and raining.
Lemon curd can go in jars, though. So, lemon curd it was. And of course, I needed something to use the lemon curd on. That’s where the scones came in.
It’s very easy to make lemon curd, it turns out. A little bit of zesting. A little bit of juicing. A lotta bit of stirring. A little straining. And done.
And scones are always easy schmeasy and so amazing when they are fresh from the oven. They lose a lot overnight. If you make them, do like we did, and eat them hot from the oven, standing over the bowl of lemon curd to dip. At 9:30 on a Saturday night, of course. One of the highlights from the weekend.
I will be brainstorming more uses for the curd this week. It made a lot. Two big jars worth. It keeps for two weeks in the fridge. Let the countdown begin. I’ve already discovered that it’s delicious on fresh strawberries. I’m guessing it’s a really nice little treat spooned onto some plain Greek yogurt.
Or just pretty sitting in a perfect Weck jar in the fridge.
Lemon Curd, Adapted slightly from The Craft of Baking by Karen deMasco
Grated zest of 3 lemons
½ cup fresh lemon juice (3 lemons worth)
½ cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
3 large eggs
½ tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
Whisk together all ingredients except butter in medium heatproof bowl.
Bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water, and whisk constantly, cooking until the mixture thickens. You’ll know it’s done when you can take a spoon across the curd and the trail doesn’t fill back in immediately.
Take off heat, and let cool 5 minutes.
Whisk in cubes of the butter, mixing to thoroughly incorporate after each addition.
Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve.
After it cools completely, place in jars. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks covered.
Makes just over 1 cup
No comments:
Post a Comment