Homemade lemon curd, without any scientific additives, is always much tastier than shop bought. Just don't leave it too long - it can only stay on the shelf for a month (due to the lack of preservatives, of course).

Various recipes are available, including microwave versions, but this recipe uses the hob and doesn't take too long to prepare.

This recipe makes three or four small jars of lemon curd. If that is more than you can eat in a month¹, you can always give some to your friends!

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 3oz (85g) butter
• 8oz (225g) caster sugar
• 2 lemons (unwaxed)

Method

Finely grate the rind of the lemons, then extract the juice.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, then add the butter, sugar, lemon rind and juice.

Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water and stir until the mixture becomes thick and smooth.

Pour the mixture into clean, warm jars and cover the jars when the curd has cooled.

Note that this heats the mixture gently to create the curd without curdling it. Similarly the jars should be warm but not too hot so as not to cook the curd even more once it is ready. The mixture may not reach a piping hot temperature during cooking, so if you have concerns about the safety of uncooked egg products, you may prefer to avoid lemon curd.

Enjoy!

Lemon curd can be enjoyed as it is, in sandwiches or spread on toast for example. Alternatively, it is an ingredient in other recipes, such as Lemon Curd Tarts², Lemon Meringue Pie or Lemon Tart, and can be used as a filling in pancakes or sponge cakes. You can even use it to make lemon ice cream - just whisk two small jars of lemon curd into half a pint of softly whipped double cream and freeze it.

Yummy, yummy says the tummy - slurp!