Lemon Curd?!
Answers: I have a jar of lemon curd and am craving something sweet. What should I make with it? Scones are traditional, but what else would be good? I've actually never tasted lemon curd before--is it a creamy jelly flavor?
LEMON CURD CAKE
(since you already have the curd skip that step)
* LEMON CURD
* 2 1/3 cups sugar
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1 cup fresh lemon juice
* 4 large eggs
* 4 large egg yolks
* 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* FROSTING
* 3/4 cup powdered sugar
* 2 cups chilled whipping cream
* CAKE
* 1 1/2 cups cake flour
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 large egg yolks
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
* 8 large egg whites
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* Lemon slices, halved, patted dry
FOR LEMON CURD:
Combine 2 1/3 cups sugar and 2 teaspoons comstarch in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in fresh lemon juice. Whisk in eggs and yolks; add butter. Whisk over medium heat until curd thickens and boils, about 12 minutes. Pour into medium bowl. Refrigerate until cold, at least 5 hours. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
FOR FROSTING:
Beat powdered sugar and 1 1/4 cups lemon curd in large bowl just until blended. Beat cream in medium bowl until firm peaks form. Fold cream into curd mixture in 3 additions. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours.
FOR CAKE:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour three 9-inch diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides; line bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk 1 1/2 cups cake flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Add 4 yolks, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, orange juice, lemon peel and 3/4 cup curd to bowl (do not stir). Combine whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar in another large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Using same beaters, beat yolk mixture until smooth. Fold whites into yolk mixture in 3 additions.
2. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.
3. Spoon 1 cup frosting into pastry bag fitted with plain round tip; refrigerate bag. Place 1 cake layer on cake platter. Spread top of cake layer with 1/3 cup curd, then 1 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer; spread with 1/3 cup curd and 1 cup frosting. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Spread remaining curd over top of cake, leaving 3/4-inch plain border around edge. Pipe chilled 1 cup frosting in bag in small mounds around edge of cake. (Cake can be prepared 1 day ahead, refrigerate.) Place lemon slices between mounds of frosting.
Phyllo Baskets
* 4 sheets frozen phyllo dough 1/4 cup melted butter
1. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface and brush with butter, keeping the remaining sheets covered with a damp towel. Top with another sheet of phyllo and brush with butter. Repeat the layering and stacking process with the remaining phyllo sheets and butter. Cut the layered stack into twelve 4-inch squares. Brush every other muffin cup in two 12-cup muffin pans with butter. Place 1 phyllo square into each buttered muffin cup. The corners can stick up. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
Note: Phyllo baskets can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container.
Spoon in Lemon Curd in baskets and top with whipped cream or fresh berries.
LEMON CURD PECAN TARTS
Pecan Tart Shells
1 cup Gold Medal? all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, mix flour, pecans and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in 1/4 cup butter and 1 egg until crumbly. Press in bottom and up sides of 24 ungreased mini muffin cups. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool tart shells in pan.
Spoon Lemon Curd into tart cups.
Lemon curd is very tart, not sweet. You could use it for tart shell filling.
Lemon curd is excellent on slices of butter or vanilla pound cake. The sweetness of the cake balances well with the tart of the curd. Depending on the curd it can be very creamy or very jello. My mom made some homemade lemon curd (with organic lemons from our yard) that was wonderfullly creamy. I ate it with the pound cake as suggested.
It is very tart, pretty sweet and very creamy.
I use it to make filled cupcakes and lemon poppyseed cheesecakes.
Make sugar cookies, roll into small balls and press into greased mini muffin tins with thumb so they bake as small cups. When there is about 2-3 minutes left in the baking time, remove the cups frfom the oven and using the back of a half teaspoon, make a more prominent indentation in all the cups (work quickly, you don't want the cookies to set). Return to the oven for 2-3 more minutes. Cool on wire racks completely before filling with lemon curd. Yum! *You can also make a variety of flavors by using different fillings. Try cherry pie filling, coconut cream pie filling, banana cream, chocolate mousse, strawberry preserves, etc. These would be wonderful for Easter because you can vary the fillings and make a beautiful colorful tray of these little tarts!