Recipe: lemon curd

This recipe for lemon curd is from the new cookery book by Katrien van Zyl, Katrien’s Gifts From The Kitchen, published by Metz Press.

The book features a scrumptious collected of tried and trusted recipes for gifts from your kitchen – cakes, cookies, tarts and snacks and well as several low-carb, high-fat recipes for people on special diets such as Banting, paleo, keto, gluten-free or sugar-free.

In Katrien’s Gifts From the Kitchen, Van Zyl gives step-by-step instructions with photographs to illustrate each project.

Her recipe for lemon curd is not overly sweet and makes a great filling for a sweet cake. It also makes a gift if presented in a glass jar.

The curd will last for two weeks if kept sealed airtight and refrigerated. Lemon Curd Ingredients 170g (3/4 cup) salted butter or baking margarine 6 large eggs 250g (1 1/4 cup) white suar 15ml (1 T) cornflour or maizena 375ml (1 1/2 cup) lemon juice 5ml (1 t) lemon zest Method Melt the butter in a pot on the stove over a low heat.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar and cornflour. Add the lemon juice and zest and stir the mixture into the melted butter.

Stir continuously until a medium-thick custard forms. When the mixture starts to bubble, take it off the heat immediately.

Pour the lemon curd into a clean bowl and place clingfilm on the surface of the curd to prevent a skin forming. Put the curd in the fridge to cool down.

If you want to cool the curd quickly, line a baking tray with clingfilm and then pour the curd into the tray. Cover the curd with more clingfilm and put it in the fridge.

Van Zyl says this recipe is ideal as a filling for cakes, or alternately spoon into sterilised glass jars and seal airtight. She also recommends it as a decadent dessert when teamed with meringue and cream.

Lemon curd is also a popular spread for toast, waffles and flapjacks.

Once opened, refrigerate and use within a few days.