Lemon Curd
Lemon curd is one of those things that I forget how much I love until I have it in something. Then I’m reminded that I should make some soon. I feel like I saw a bunch of lemon curd recipes pop up recently in the blogs I read and was once again reminded that I should mix some up myself.
I have made lemon curd before but I wanted to find a simpler recipe. I found this one and while it was simpler than the one I had tried before, it didn’t go completely smoothly.
To start things off, the mixture was all curdled at the beginning of the cooking process.
I figured the butter would melt into the mixture as it heated and sure enough, it did. But then I had issues getting the curd to thicken. After 24 minutes of stirring, I added a tablespoon of cornstarch to the mixture. Another 6 minutes and the curd had thickened to my liking. Since the recipe said 10 minutes total, that was a bit frustrating. It did thicken up more as it cooled so that was a good thing.
This recipe yielded a great lemony curd and with the modifications I made below, it definitely will be made again. Hopefully sooner rather than later!
One Year Ago: Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Three Years Ago: Fake Apple Pie A La Mode
Lemon Curd
Yield: 3 cups
Ingredients:
3 lemons
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 Tbsp butter, room temperature
4 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cornstarch
Directions:
Remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.
Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice, salt and cornstarch. Mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Great cupcake hero entry!!! yum!
You’re right – it’s a freaking cute cupcake! I especially love that frosting and how you got it to look like a scoop of ice cream. Nicely done!
This is my first CH and I can’t wait till the voting begins! : )
Wow, what a yummy looking cupcake! Great idea!
This is ADORABLE!! I love it!
Gorgeous cupcake, Jen! I love how the cherry stands out. How do you get that black background if you don’t mind me asking? I’m pretty new to this food photography thing 8)
Yummmm!!!!!
Xiaolu – It’s actually just my black table. I’ve also had luck using a plain black piece of construction paper (most of my backgrounds are the 12×12 scrap-booking papers) or a black towel to get the background all black.
Here is an example using paper, and one using a towel.
Thanks! That’s really helpful.
Yum! Great idea 🙂
Awesome idea!
Very creative and it looks great!
What a cute idea! I love it!! And I know my nieces would be in love!
Great idea…they look delicious!
holy deliciousness! I NEED one of those! 🙂
How creative, I love them! So cute and tasty with that cherry on top!
Very cute looking! I like your idea.
~ingrid
These cupcakes are pure genius… you’ve definitely got my vote!
Cute idea! What a great entry!
Wow – super cute! A lot of work, I’m sure, but such a big payoff! Great job!
So stinkin’ cute!
Very cute, indeed and loving the pineapple in the frosting. I can just imagine how delicious this would taste. What a great idea.
MMM, it looks fantastic! I’ll have to try this one 🙂 xox
These cupcakes are precious besides, I am sure, being delicious. What a great idea.