Homemade lemon curd

Lemon curd, (also sometimes known as lemon cheese or lemon butter) is a traditional British dessert topping and sandwich spread. Dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal usually consisting of sweet Food but sometimes of a strongly-flavored one such as some Cheeses The The basic ingredients are beaten egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest which are gently cooked together until thick and then allowed to cool, forming a soft, smooth, intensely-flavoured spread. The lemon ( Citrus × limon) is a hybrid in cultivated wild plants Zest is the outer colorful skin of citrus fruit, known botanically as the Exocarp. Some recipes also include egg whites and/or butter. Albumen redirects here For other uses see Albumen (disambiguation.

In late 19th and early 20th century England, homemade lemon curd was traditionally served with bread or scones at afternoon tea as an alternative to jam, and as a filling for cakes, small pastries and tarts. Depending on a country's customs tea can refer to any of several different meals or mealtimes This article describes Pastry in food For the Distributed Hash Table system see Pastry_(DHT. A tart is a Pastry dish usually sweet that is a type of Pie with an open top not covered with pastry Modern commercially made lemon curd is still a popular spread for bread, scones, toast or muffins. The scone is a British snack of Scottish origin A small quickbread made of Wheat, Barley or Oatmeal, usually with It can be also be used as a flavouring for desserts or yogurt. Lemon-meringue pie, made with lemon curd and topped with meringue, has been a favorite dessert in Britain and the USA since the nineteenth century. "Lemon Meringue" redirects here For the song by Poe see Lemon Meringue (song. Meringue is a type of Dessert made from whipped Egg whites and caster sugar.

Homemade lemon curd was usually made in relatively small amounts as it did not keep as well as jam, although nowadays larger quantities can be kept in the refrigerator or freezer. Commercially manufactured lemon curd often contains additional preservatives and thickening ingredients.

Lemon curd is different from a lemon filling or a custard in that it contains a higher proportion of lemon juice and zest, which gives it a more intense, sharper lemon flavor. Custard is a range of preparations based on Milk and eggs thickened with heat Unlike a custard, it is never eaten on its own. Also, lemon curd containing butter has a smoother and creamier texture than both lemon filling and custard; both contain little or no butter and use cornstarch or flour for thickening. Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. Cornstarch, or cornflour, is the Starch of the Maize grain commonly known as Corn. Flour is a powder made of Cereal grains It is the key ingredient of Bread, which is a staple food in many countries and therefore the availability

Variations also exist using different citrus fruits such as oranges or limes, or berries such as cranberries or strawberries. Lemon curd with the Dutch liqueur advocaat is also sold commercially. A liqueur is a sweet Alcoholic beverage, often flavored with Fruits, Herbs Spices Flowers Seeds Roots Plants Advocaat (or advokatt) is a rich and creamy Liqueur made from eggs, sugar and brandy

References and external links

• Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 182)
• Preparing and Preserving Lemon Curd - National Center for Home Food Preservation, 2004
• The Ultimate English Tea - Times online, October 14, 2006