This isn’t a recipe post. Nor does it contain a giveaway. It is simply an gentle nudge in the direction of something delicious.
In pursuit of cookbook greatness, I made a lot of curds last week. Lemon curd. Lime curd. Vanilla orange curd. And all of this week, I’ve been eating the run-off from those projects stirred into plain yogurt (greek yogurt. Homemade yogurt. Trader Joe’s creamy European-style yogurt. We go through a lot of yogurt).
Sometimes topped with granola. Sometimes plain. Always delicious.
I exhort you. While citrus is still in season, do yourself a favor and make up a batch of curd. Meyer lemons are wonderful, though limes add a more tropical feel. If you want to feel like you’re eating pie for breakfast, search out some tiny key limes.
This recipe is nice, though I’ve heard that the bits of zest are a textural challenge for some folks. If you want a perfectly smooth curd, rub the zest into the sugar before cooking, that way it imparts all its flavor but doesn’t end up in the final product.
Yum!! I made a meyer lemon-grapefruit curd recently (was that your recipe, because it was scrummy!) We had it on scones, stirred into yogurt, and finally used the last bit in a yogurt dressing for a fruit salad (pineapple and mango.) What else would you do with curd? Tarts?
I too love a good curd. Unfortunately, (or possibly fortunately) when I make it with no final product in mind it ends up being eaten with a spoon standing in front of the fridge.
Make curd! Vanilla orange! Rub the zest in the sugar! This post is full of delicious ideas. Thank you.
Again, I agree totally! Lemon curd with vanilla yogurt is a favorite combo of mine. I posted about it last month. Yum!
http://livfrmscratch.blogspot.com/2011/02/lemon-curd.html
Thanks for the nudge. I wanted to make some curd, but my schedule was too tight. Now, I think that sounds like a splendid idea. I must search out some citrus.
A couple months ago I made a lemon tart that was filled with lemon curd. The lemon curd was amazing and I was surprised but my husband has been asking me to make more lemon curd ever since. Maybe I’ll indulge him soon.
Hi there! Your blog is beautiful. I’ve never canned but we’re planting a huge garden and I received a canner as a wedding gift, so I’m going to try this year! I’ll definitely be trying your recipes and coming here for inspiration. 🙂
Great idea! I made lemon curd for some lemon tarts and have quite a bit left over in the fridge. I wasn’t sure what to do with it, but now I know what to have for dessert. How long do curds keep in the fridge? about a week?
They last at least a couple of weeks (though I find it rarely actually remains uneaten that long).
I couldn’t agree more! I’d love to find some key limes as key lime curd sounds amazing. My favourite curd flavour at the moment is seville orange, I’ve just finished off the last of the batch I made but I was eating it on yoghurt, mixed with mascarpone, with cake, with shortbread, straight off a spoon… So good.
I haven’t had curd in so long! Now, I want to make some, but I only have a few oranges and a grapefruit. Can I make orange curd using the same recipe?
Brandee, you can use oranges in place of the lemons to make the curd. However, you should keep it in the fridge and skip the canning step, as food scientists aren’t certain whether there’s enough acid it in for safe shelf stability.
If you don’t like the zest, you can also use a fine mesh strainer at the end to pull it out before canning. I believe that the Natl. Center for Home Food Preservations guidelines recommend eating fridge stored curd within 4 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to a year.
I love the idea of putting it in yogurt.
I am going to have to look up a recipe and try to make some curd…, but my question is on that jar…is that a specific make/style/model? So cute and would make great gift jars! Where can I find them?
I love yogurt, in particular with granola, in the morning. I haven’t made too much yogurt yet, but perhaps I can learn as I raise a lot of berries in the summer and they would make a great yogurt!
This a great idea and even better way to reuse my mason jars!
I am on a major lemon curd kick at the moment. Do you have a recipe for a vanilla orange curd? How much vanilla to how many oranges? I’d really like to try something different. Thank you in advance.
Nina
I love lemon curd, what a delicious idea.
-Brenda
This really does look great!
Lemon curd in yogurt with strawberries!
Marisa,
Any chance you could post a homemade yogurt recipe to go with this? Mine never sets properly!
Thanks!
Anita
I personally follow the crockpot methods of making homemade yogurt: place a half gallon of whole milk (not double-pasteurized) in your crockpot, turn on high for about two hours until the temperature reaches 170-180 F, turn off and add 1 cup dried milk per half-gallon (makes it thicker, can use gelatin instead). Let cool until 110 F, take out one cup and stir 1-2tbsp of plain yogurt with active cultures into it (I’ve tried multiple brands and they turn out pretty similar to each other; my favorite is siggi’s currently). Stir the yogurt-milk into the crockpot, cover, pack towels on top to keep the remaining heat in, and let sit (culture) overnight. The longer you let it go, the more tart it becomes. I like ~16 hours. Place a kitchen towel that is not tightly woven (more holes = thicker yogurt) into a strainer and pour the yogurt on top and place in fridge for 6-8 hours (or longer). This gives a super-thick, creamy yogurt!
I just made a batch of whole wheat butter cookies to top with lemon curd for an event this week. Eating curd with yogurt is definitely one of my favorites though! Thanks for the reminder.
I must make some curd, I have a bunch of Meyer and regular lemons in the basement. I’m also considering making some grapefruit and I have some. Would be tart, but I LOVE tart!
Mmm.. I’ve been making lemon curd and grapefruit curd and eat them along side of my plain yogurt. Awesome. Can’t wait to find limes on sale.