Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Lemon Curd and Lemon-Yogurt Brunch Parfait

Lemon-Yogurt Brunch Parfait
 I feel like I've been on a bit of a lemon kick lately and as long as I am, I might as well share with you this yummy recipe for lemon curd.  Lemon curd is a thick spread made from lemon, sugar, eggs and butter (think of the filling in a lemon meringue pie) and is really a delicious addition to a wide number of foods.  Traditionally, it is served with scones (kind of like biscuits) for brunch or teatime, but it can be used to top slices of pound cake or pieces of shortbread, used as a filling in between layers of  cake, spread on toast or even stirred into plain yogurt (one of my favorite uses!).  To buy a jar at the store can be crazy expensive (and I've found I don't really like the taste of the jarred stuff that much anyway), but you can make your own in about 15 minutes and with mostly ingredients you probably already have on hand. This recipe makes about 2 cups, so there's plenty to share--turn it into a sweet gift by putting some in a jar tied with a pretty ribbon!

Lemon Curd
2/3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 4 small lemons)
1 tablespoon lemon zest

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks and egg and beat together over medium speed until mixture is smooth.  Add lemon juice and mix thoroughly (the mixture may look a bit curdled but it will smooth out during cooking).  Transfer mixture to a heavy sauce pan.  Stir mixture constantly over medium-low heat until it is thick and coats the back of a spoon (about 8-10 minutes).  Do not let it boil.  Stir in lemon zest and transfer to a bowl to cool.  Cover surface of lemon curd with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.  Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or you can freeze it as well.  Makes about 2 cups. You can also substitute lime juice and zest for a lovely lime flavored spread!
Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking


 
Lemon-Yogurt Brunch Parfait 
Even though this is more of a concept than an actual recipe, I felt like this use for lemon curd has to be included.  Layers of lemon curd, plain yogurt, berries and lady fingers, combine for a refreshing treat. It would make a lovely finale to an Easter brunch, a light dessert or just relatively guilt-free snack.  These are really just suggestions, please feel free to improvise.

Ingredients:
plain yogurt 
lemon curd
some kind of cookie: lady fingers, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, lemon wafers, shortbread, etc.
berries, fresh or frozen, any kind (I used blackberries, but raspberries, strawberries or blueberries would all be beautiful and tasty)

Layer all ingredients in either individual wine glasses or all together in a trifle bowl (or some other clear glass serving dish, preferably clear so you can see all the layers), repeating layers until you run out.  Serve immediately or can be made ahead (for softer cookie layers).  Store pre-made parfaits in the refrigerator. 

10 comments:

  1. I adore lemon curd!! I will have to give this a try because you are right - buying it at the store is expensive!! Your parfait looks delicious.

    I'm a new follower from the Chic & Crafty hop! : ) Hope you have a Happy Easter!

    Aimee @
    justkiddingaroundatlanta.blogspot.com

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  2. Had to come back and tell you I just made a batch of this and it is AMAZING!! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! (I'm using it to fill some of my cupcakes for tomorrow ~ they'll be so pucker-y sweet in the middle with this as the filling!)

    Aimee @
    justkiddingaroundatlanta.blogspot.com

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  3. Thank you so much, Aimee! You are very sweet! I'm glad you liked the recipe and hope you had a Happy Easter! Also, I really like your sunflower house idea. I will have see if sunflowers are resistant to my black thumb! : )

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  4. Ooh ~ this looks so yummy, Lauren! I'll be featuring it later this week on The Frugal Girls... thanks for sharing!! :)

    ~ Heidi

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  5. Thanks, Heidi! I'm so honored! I absolutely adore your site (and for anyone looking for really fun, thrifty ideas, check out www.thefrugalgirls.com!).

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  6. OMG, we have quarts of lime juice frozen from our tree's recent harvest...I imagine Lime Curd will taste excellent as well!!

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  7. Jennifer, I am so jealous of your lime tree! Lime curd will be a perfect use for your leftovers! Thanks for visiting.

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  8. Hoping to make it tonight...finally...
    For planning purposes for Sunday's brunch, how much (curd, parfaits) do you think I need to make to please 9 adults and 5 kids (all 5 and under)?

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  9. Jennifer, I would probably make a triple batch for that many people. You'll definitely have some leftovers, but it will give you flexibility. Each batch makes about 2 cups and if you did a double batch, you'd have sixteen 1/4 cup servings. This would probably be enough, but it seemed like it might a little bit of stretch to me (maybe I am greedy, but I think I'd go for more like 1/3 cup servings of the curd for the adults depending on how big your parfaits are). Hope it works out well for you and wishing you a Happy Mother's Day!

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  10. This turned out so YUMMY!! I made a triple batch, and made the 14 parfaits plus had a bit left over for me to enjoy today - hooray! I used crumbled graham crackers and Greek yogurt, with fresh strawberries - delish!! Thanks again for this recipe, I will be using it again. :-)

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