Interesting trick I found with jarred lemon curd: reheating it to use in a pie

M

marilynfl

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I have been making my lemon curd in the Vitamix since getting the Vitamix. Using a Thermapen, I can find out exactly when the eggs/sugar/lemon juice/zest reaches 180 degrees. I immediately pour it off into a large flat-ish container and wait for it to cool to
 
Good to know ! I

Put it all in the vitamix, bring to 180F annnd you’re done.

I use the Food and wine recipe per Meryl, with my Meyer lemons, but the method comes from a Wolfgang Puck appliance for sauces (and curd!) recipe booklet I used before I had the vitamix.

Is there a reason you do the whole pour it out, pour it back in method?

 
Maria and Deb, my version started with this concept: Pierre Herme's Lemon Cream

Per Herme, while the temperature needs to reach 180 degrees to set the eggs, the key to emulsifying all that butter is to reduce the temperature to 140 degrees before adding it slowly.

I made this recipe a few times as written and it is AMAZING, but I wanted one with less butter.

Also, I've made standard curd adding everything to the Vitamix at once and that also works beautifully. I don't have to worry about the eggs curding or stirring constantly.

I just prefer this two-phase method now. I also use it for my Dyslexic sauce (not adding the butter until the chocolate has cooled to < 140 degrees) and since then have never had it develop a greasy texture, which sometimes happened in the early years.

I also think that critical temperature timing may be why I kept screwing up Gayle's fudge. For some reason, my butter would always exude from the finished product, leaving a greasy piece of candy. I'm not a big fan of fudge, but if I do make her recipe again, I'll watch out for the temperature range.

https://finerkitchens.com/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=59973

 
All Yolk Lemon Curd (Rose Levy Beranbaum)

Classic Lemon Curd
Makes: 1-1/4 cups /330 grams

Have ready near the range a strainer, suspended over a medium bowl containing the lemon zest. In a heavy saucepan, whisk the yolks, sugar, and butter until well blended. Whisk in the lemon juice and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula (be sure to scrape the sides of the pan), until thickened and resembling hollandaise sauce, which thickly coats the spatula but is still liquid enough to pour. The mixture will change from translucent to opaque and begin to take on a yellow color on the spatula. It must not be allowed to come to the boil or it will curdle. Whenever steam appears, remove the pan briefly from the heat, stirring constantly, to keep the mixture from boiling.

When the curd has thickened, pour it at once into the strainer and press it through with the spatula. Stir gently to mix in the zest sitting in the bowl (there will be about 1/3 cup/90 grams leftover after filling a cake). Allow the curd to cool for 30 minutes. Cover tightly and refrigerate until no longer warm--about 3 hours. Store refrigerated in airtight jar or container, 3 weeks. (Longer storage dulls the fresh citrus flavor.)

https://recipeswap.org/fun/wp-content/uploads/swap-photos/Curd.png

 
Here's how I adapt her All Yolk Lemon Curd

My neighbor gives me fresh eggs, so I separate the whites from the yolks, add a bit of sugar to the yolks and toss it into the freezer. Then I eat the eggs whites for breakfast.

When I have a large container of yolks, I'll weight it out and scale up her recipe to match my weight in yolks. I follow the Herme two-phase method in the Vitamix, leaving out the butter. When the temperature is below 140 degrees, I add either the adjusted recipe amount of butter or less, usually less.

Since using his method and the Vitamix, I have not had a single lump or eggy curd in my results. It takes a night in the refrigerator to set up, but I've been very happy with it. It lasts for over 6 months stored in the refrigerator. The only issue after that long is a slight amount of water at the very bottom of the jar which I avoid by not pouring the contents out: I spoon it out.

 
Everytime I have made this since his book was published I say: Did I just make this? Its just so

wonderful.

 
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