FoodBanter.com - View Single Post

graham[_4_]

On 01/09/2014 8:43 AM, Janet wrote:
> In article >,
> lid says...
>>
>> I quote from Elizabeth David, *An Omelette and a Glass of Wine*, page
>> 199:
>>
>> "ENGLISH LEMON CURD
>>
>> "To make 1 lb. approximately, ingredients a 2 large lemons,
>> preferably thick-skinned; 1/2 lb. loaf sugar; 4 whole large eggs; 1/4
>> lb. of unsalted or slightly salted butter.
>>
>> "Rub sugar lumps on to the peel of the lemons, holding them over a
>> bowl, until each lump starts crumbling, then start on another. About
>> four lumps will rub sufficient outside peel and oil out of each lemon.
>> Put all the sugar together into the bowl.
>>
>> "Squeeze the lemons, and strain the juice. Whisk the eggs very
>> thoroughly with the strained juice.
>>
>> "Cut the butter into small cubes.
>>
>> "Set the bowl in, or over, a pan of water. When the sugar has
>> dissolved add the eggs, then the butter. Stir until all ingredients
>> are amalgamated and the whole mixture looks rather like thick honey,
>> with about the same consistency.
>>
>> (Elizabeth David, An Omelette and a Glass of Wine, page 199.)
>>
>> The mystery is the "When the sugar has dissoved" bit. Dissolved in
>> what? No liquid has been added. A bowl in a pan in or over water
>> doesn't get hot enough to melt suger. Am I missing something here or
>> did David's editor slip up?
>
> I'd say major banana skin. That stuff about rubbing sugar lumps on
> lemon skin is crap too :-)
>
> Here's the recipe I use
>
> 6 oz castor sugar
> 2 lemons
> 4 large eggs
> 4 oz unsalted butter, cut up into small cubes.
>
> Scrub the lemons under the hot tap, mop dry, then finely grate off
> all their yellow rind and juice them. Get rid of any pips in the juice.
>
> Put the lemon juice, grated rind, cut up butter and sugar in a bowl
> and rest it on a spoon sitting in a pan of hot water (half way up the
> bowl). The spoon underneath, stops the bowl contents getting too near
> the heat source. Let the butter melt and the sugar dissolve. **Don't
> get it too hot** or the eggs might scramble when you add them.
>
> Whisk the eggs thoroughly and mix them into the bowl stirring well.
> Let the water beneath the bowl simmer very gently while you keep
> stirring slowly with a wooden spoon until the curd thickens. Just takes
> a few minutes so don't go away... When it will coat the back of the
> spoon it's done.
>
> Pour into two clean jars cover and seal. It will thicken more when
> cold. Keep it in the fridge where it has a shelf life of two or three
> weeks (but you'll have eaten it all long before then).
>
>
> Janet UK
>
I'm not sure how much difference this makes but a reminder that:
UK Large eggs = US/Can Extra large
Graham