A truly brilliant way to make lemon curd

After spending hours stirring lemon curd over a double boiler, I chanced upon a new method yesterday for making lemon curd in the microwave. Difficult as this is to believe, it works really well! (I've made five batches today to convince myself - three of lemon curd, and two of passionfruit curd). The recipe is here.

Some amendments: my microwave only needed two minutes after the eggs were added (stirring every 30 seconds). Also, I sieved both the lemon juice and the eggs as I added them to the bowl. Here is a pic of the passionfruit curd we made (by adding 1/3 cup passionfruit pulp after the butter was melted and the sugar dissolved). Enjoy!

Oh, yum! I love lemon curd.

Thanks, Celia!

Of course, an easy method for making lemon curd meant I had to make lemon tart this weekend! This was simply a pastry shell baked blind, with hot lemon curd from the microwave poured into it, and set in the fridge. Too easy!

Celia, I am consistently amazed by both the quantity, and quality of your work.
Your love for baking really shows through in the finished products.
Thanks for sharing them.

[Jenise]

Of course, an easy method for making lemon curd meant I had to make lemon tart this weekend! This was simply a pastry shell baked blind, with hot lemon curd from the microwave poured into it, and set in the fridge. Too easy!

What John said. Your output is better than professional--your work could be sold in any bakery, but it contains a lot more heart.

And I'm swooning over your tart. I am not into desserts, as I say probably too often. But I love lemon, and I mean LOVE it. I even love lemon meringue pie, though I have to peel off the meringue. A meringueless tart like yours? Heaven.

WOW, celia.......wunderbar!

Thank you! I absolutely adore the baking process - you know how some people do sudokus to keep their minds going? We try and learn new cooking techniques.

Jenise, please try this! It can be as easy as buying a tart shell (if you didn't want to go to the trouble of making your own), making the lemon curd in just a few minutes in the microwave, scooping it in, and letting it set in the fridge. I can see lemon tarts and jam tarts becoming a staple entertaining dessert at our house!

Here's my take on the lemon curd recipe:

1. Zest and juice (strain the juice) two big lemons into a large pyrex bowl. Add 50g unsalted butter and 150g caster (superfine) sugar. Microwave on high for 2 minutes (my micro is 1100 watts). Take it out, stir it to make sure sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Allow to cool just slightly (while you whisk the eggs).

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 large free range eggs, and one egg yolk. Whisk well. Pour the eggs through a sieve into the butter mixture, whisking as you go. Once it's all combined, pop the pyrex bowl back into microwave.

3. 30 seconds on high, then stir. Another 30 seconds on high, stir again. Then 1 minute on high, take it out, and give it a really good whisking until it becomes smooth and lemon curd like. You might need a little bit more time, but in my microwave, that's it. You can then pour it into sterilised jars and stick it in the fridge, or pour it into a pre-baked tart shell and let it set in the fridge (which is how I made my tart). Oh, and you can freeze lemon curd too!



Cheers, Celia