THE LEMON GROVE CHRISTMAS CALENDAR DECEMBER 18

Shop bought lemon curd can be tooth-achingly sweet and boast a neon colour reminiscent of a nuclear reaction. It’s also packed with preservatives and other stabilisers. So, I can highly recommend making yours at home.

Follow The Lemon Grove’s recipe cheerfully recreated here by artist @ellenmontelius .

Curds, could be orange, mandarin or another citrus fruit, are a very versatile ingredient for cooks and bakers. Hence Ellen has drawn a spinning wheel, reminiscent of one found in the Twister board game, which highlights the variety of dishes that curds can brighten up from muffins and cupcakes, mug cakes, spread for toast, cake or crepe filling and tarts with summer fruits (frozen) … Perhaps put some curd into a small Kilner jar and wrap as presents.

CHRISTMAS LEMON CURD

2 small – medium lemons
90g caster sugar
90g Butter
4 free range egg yolks
Pinch of salt
Separate the eggs and whisk the egg yolks in a bowl.
Lemon zest, one lemon

HOW TO

Put the salt, sugar, butter, zest and juice of the lemons into a heavy bottomed saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the butter and sugar have melted and combined.

Then remove the saucepan from the heat.

Add the beaten egg yolks to the saucepan and whisk.

Pop back onto a low-medium heat.

The mixture will start to thicken, when it begins to bubble take it off the heat.

Pass the lemon curd through a sieve into a bowl.

Cover with cling film (make sure the cling film is in direct contact with the curd to prevent it from forming a skin) and pop into the fridge for at least an hour.

When the curd has cooled and you are ready to use it give it a good mix to break it up and then use in or on anything you like; cake, scones, biscuits, toast, whatever!

Makes great Christmas presents in small Kilner jars.