THE NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE LEMON CURD: CROCK POT OR TRADITIONAL

The National Trust Heritage Lemon Curd: Crock Pot or Traditional image

A wonderful classic British preserve. Spread it thickly on fresh baked bread, crumpets, muffins or hot buttered toast. It's also delicious on pancakes and if used as a filling for cakes or tarts - such as my Recipe #176514. This recipe has the benefit of being made in the Crock Pot/Slow Cooker, acting as a bain marie which allows you time to being doing other things in the kitchen! I have also given instructions for the more traditional method if you don't have a slow cooker. A jar or two makes a lovely gift - tie a pretty ribbon around the neck of the jar and provide a recipe tag as well. We like our lemon curd quite tangy - so if you are not keen on a very lemony taste - increase the sugar by about 2 to 3 ounces, or use 2 lemons only. This can also be made with oranges or limes, or a mixture of all three Citrus fruits; it will then be called St.Clement's Curd, from the Nursery Rhyme "Oranges and Lemons - The Bells of St.Clements". (This recipe was adpated from The National Trust Cookbook, hence the title of this lemon curd recipe!)

Provided by French Tart

Categories Dessert

Time 2h15m

Yield 4 small jars of Lemon Curd

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

3 large lemons, unwaxed and organic, juice and zest of
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 ounces caster sugar or 6 ounces superfine sugar
4 ounces unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 oranges, juice and zest of, large
4 limes, juice and zest of

Steps:

Firstly, pour about 2 inches/5 cm of very hot water into the ceramic part of your slow cooker and turn it onto high heat. Put the lemon juice, lemon rind, sugar and butter into the largest heatproof bowl which will fit inside your slow cooker. Put the bowl into the slow cooker and pour enough near-boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the bowl.
Leave the mixture in the slow cooker for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Take the bowl out of the cooker and leave to cool for a few minutes, then turn the cooker to a low heat.
Beat the eggs and then strain them through a sieve into the lemon curd mixture and whisk well until it is combined. Cover the bowl with a lid or foil if no lid is available and put it back into the slow cooker.
Cook the lemon curd on a low heat for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it is thick enough to cover the back of the wooden spoon, stirring every 15 to 25 minutes - I left mine without stirring for about 30 minutes with no harm done!
NOTE. (My mum makes it this way and does NOT stir it as often as I do; she says it works very well - and if it looks curdled at any stage, a brisk whisk at the end of the cooking time brings at all back together.).
Pour the lemon curd into some small warmed sterilized jars, cover and seal. You can store this in a cool place or ideally in the fridge and it will keep for 3 months. Once the jar is opened then it must be kept in the fridge and will last for one month.
TRADITIONAL COOKING METHOD.
Grate rind of lemons and squeeze out juice. Put sugar, rind and juice, butter and beaten eggs into a large basin on top of a pan of simmering water.
Stir with a wooden spoon until thick and curd coats the back of the spoon.
Pour into warm sterile jars, cover, seal and label.
Refrigerate.