Lemon and Elderflower Curd
Lemon and elderflower curd is a fragrant twist on the classic citrus spread, made using fresh lemons and Belvoir Farm elderflower cordial. It’s very easy and the result is a silky, tangy lemon curd with a light floral perfume that makes it perfect for gifting, enjoying with breakfast goods or elevating summer bakes.
Ingredients
| 4 | egg yolks (large) |
| 2 | eggs (large) |
| 150g | white caster sugar |
| 2 | zest of lemons |
| 160ml | lemon juices (roughly 3-4 lemons) |
| 90ml | Belvoir Farm Elderflower Cordial |
| 150g | butter (cubed) |
Method
To Make
- Fill your kitchen sink 5cm deep with cold water.
- Put the sugar, egg yolks, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and Belvoir Farm Elderflower Cordial into a medium-sized heatproof mixing bowl.
- Sit the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl.
- Use a handheld balloon whisk to break up the mixture in the bowl then gently whisk constantly to ensure the curd cooks evenly and the eggs don’t scramble.
- Keep cooking until the mixture thicken sufficiently to coat the back of a spoon (or registers a temperature of 77°C / 170.6°F. This will take approximately 10 minutes.
- Once cooked put the bowl into the sink of cold water for 2 minutes to halt the cooking process (keep stirring as it sits in the water to prevent a skin from forming).
- Remove the bowl from the sink and dry the base.
- Add the butter cubes to the bowl and whisk until the butter has melted and been fully combined into the curd.
- Optional: Pass the curd through a fine-meshed sieve to remove the lemon zest if you would like a smooth curd.
- Spoon the lemon and elderflower curd into Kilner jars. Let cool, then seal and store in the fridge for 10-14 days.
Serving Suggestions
Lemon and elderflower curd is lovely on toast and crumpets for breakfast but it can be used in many desserts too. Try it in meringue nests with whipped cream and fruit, make lemon curd tarts or use it to fill a sponge cake.
Expert Tips
- Adjust the elderflower: You can increase or decrease the prominence of the elderflower flavour by adjusting the amount of Belvoir Farm Elderflower Cordial:
- For a stronger flavour increase the elderflower cordial by 15ml and reduce the sugar by 25g (use 125g)
- For a subtler flavour decrease the cordial by 15ml and add 25g more sugar (total 175g)
- Homemade lemon and elderflower curd must be stored in the fridge to keep it fresh for 2 weeks. Bring it out an hour before using to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Do not leave the curd unattended as it cooks. It must be stirred constantly, otherwise the egg will scramble.
- If, despite your best efforts, some egg does scramble, simply lift the pieces out or sieve your curd after cooking to remove them.