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One of the best spreads you can make at home is lemon curd. It just needs 4-5 ingredients for preparation, and you will have a tangy and creamy mixture in no time. You can use it for spreading on toast or adding to your salad. It can also be used for making desserts like cakes, cupcakes, pies, and bars.
Video Credit: Preppy Kitchen/ Youtube
While the recipe is quite simple, it can be difficult to ace. People often make the simplest of mistakes which can affect the taste and texture of lemon curd. Here are a few things you should keep in mind while making tangy yet delicious spreads so that you become a pro at it.
Not Preparing Lemons Correctly
For this recipe, you will need lemon zest, however, you must avoid using a cheese grater. It can add the pith, a white substance inside the skin of the fruit. It has an unpleasant taste, slightly bitter which can hamper the taste of the lemon curd. Instead, you must use a microplane zester that only removes the citrus skin of the fruit.
Overcooking The Curd
Many people end up overcooking lemon curd, which adds a grainy texture to it. One thing that you must always be careful of is the temperature. The mixture must never reach the boiling state or cross that temperature. It will destroy the texture of curd. If you are using a double boiler, you must be extra careful of the temperature.
Not Using Plenty Of Egg Yolks
To make lemon curd, egg yolks are crucial. They not only add a natural yellow colour but also improve the texture of the recipe. You should discard egg whites because they can add a foul smell to lemon curd. You must use fresh eggs and yolks because it will help you achieve richer flavour and thicker texture.
Video Credit: Joy Of Baking/ YouTube
Juicing Lemons Right Away
One of the common mistakes that many people make is they start squeezing lemons as soon as they are done grating for the zest. One of the best ways to do it is by microwaving the citrus fruits for at least 15-20 seconds to make them softer and juicier. It will help you squeeze out the maximum amount of juice from lemons.
Not Stirring Continuously
Whenever you are cooking curd, you must stir it continuously until you are sure that it won’t curdle. The same thumb rule applies when you are cooking lemon curd. You should continuously stir the mixture to achieve a smooth texture of the spread. Since this recipe has eggs, it is likely that the bottom part will cook sooner than the rest of the part. Therefore, stirring helps with even cooking.
Not Straining The Curd
You need to strain the curd after you are done mixing the ingredients. It will help you get rid of extra pieces of eggs and lemon zest which when cooked can destroy the texture. If you strain the mixture before cooking, it will ensure that the lemon curd has a smooth texture with all the flavours intact.
