In the follow up to my earlier post about food waste and how cakes for charity evolved, I bring you another recipe for using up left over egg yolks.
A beautifully, simple lemon curd – perfect for using up leftover egg yolks
Having already turned the first version of left over egg yolks, which were being discarded by a colleague on a diet, into some charity fundraising cakes, I turned my thoughts to what else I could make.
Her second donation contained five egg yolks, leading to another internet search for inspiration. Thanks to another food blog from the USA, I came across 12 ways to use up leftover egg yolks from Kitchn, which helpfully gives ideas for using up 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 eggs.
The last time I attempted making lemon curd, some years ago, it was a disaster but this recipe worked like a dream.
I’ve adapted the recipe as it talks about 8 tablespoons of butter or 1 stick but this equates to 113g. I used the ‘cups’ measurement and this worked just fine.
- 4 lemons
- ¾ cup sugar
- 113g unsalted butter
- 5 large egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Peel and juice the lemons - Peel 3 of the lemons, taking as little of the bitter white pith as possible. You can either use a vegetable peeler or as I did, a lemon zester. Cut all the lemons in half, juice them, and measure out ½ cup of juice. Save any leftover juice for another use.
- Mix everything in the food processor - Combine the sugar and lemon peels in the bowl of a food processor and process until the peels are ground very fine, about 1 minute. Add the butter, egg yolks, lemon juice and salt to the bowl. Pulse a few times and then process for 15 seconds or so to incorporate everthing. The mixture will look curdled but that's OK at this point.
- Sterilise your jar by pouring hot water in it. Make sure it's heat proof to ensure it doesn't crack. Leave for a couple of minutes and then tip the water away. Dry with kitchen roll. Place the strainer over the bowl or your prepared jar so it is ready to go when the curd is cooked.
- Cook the lemon mixture - Pour mixture into a small saucepan and place over a very low heat. Stir frequently, using a heat-proofed spatula. The 'curdled' looking ingredients will miraculously start to turn into a smooth, silken mixture, which will start to thicken. Do not leave the mixture unattended as it is very easy for it to overcook and curdle.
- Cook until the mixture begins to thicken, 12-15 minutes. I used a thermometer, cooking the curd to 77C. Alternatively you can test the curd by coating the back of a spoon with the curd and running a finger through it. It should leave a clear, distinct path.
Using a cooking thermometer takes the guess work out - heat to 77C
- Strain and store - Pour the curd through a strainer to catch any peel and coagulated egg. If your strainer fits over your storage jar, you can simply strain it right into the jar. Otherwise, strain it into a bowl and then pour it into a jar. Allow to cool to room temperature, then seal the jar and store in your refrigerator. It will keep for a few weeks, if it lasts that long!
And there you have it, a very simple lemon curd recipe using just a few ingredients.
And in the meantime, if you want to find ways to reduce your food waste, visit Love Food, Hate Waste Scotland website for some useful tips and recipes.
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