Best Chef Johns Lighter Lemon Curd Recipes

LEMON BERRY TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Place frozen puff pastry sheet on a work surface dusted with flour. Allow to thaw for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a 1 1/2 to 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out 12 round pieces. Place pastry rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Using a slightly smaller round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out inner circles in each pastry round, leaving them in place. Brush each pastry round with beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned and puffed, 13 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before filling.
• Cut around the small inner circle of each pastry round and gently push it down. Fill each tartlet with lemon curd and top with a blackberry. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

MEYER LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Beat sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and yolks one at a time until incorporated. Mix in lemon juice. Transfer mixture to a saucepan.
• Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring gently until smooth. Increase the heat to medium and simmer gently, stirring constantly, until curd is thick enough to coat a spoon and reaches 170 degrees F (77 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, 15 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest.
• Transfer curd to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming as it cools. Allow to cool briefly, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until thick.

CHEF JOHN'S LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack into middle position in oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• Place 1 cup flour and butter in a mixing bowl and mash with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Mix in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; mash mixture together until mixture looks like a slightly crumbly cookie dough.
• Moisten your fingers with a little water and press dough into bottom of prepared baking dish. Use a fork to prick holes all over the crust.
• Bake crust on center rack in the preheated oven until crust edges are barely golden brown, 22 minutes.
• Beat eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl; whisk in white sugar and 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Add lemon juice and lemon zest; whisk for 2 minutes. Pour lemon custard over crust.
• Bake on center rack until custard is set and top has a thin white sugary crust, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Dip knife into very hot water, run around the edge, and cut into 16 squares. Dust cookies with 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar.