Clear glass dessert cup holding smooth bright yellow lemon curd, topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of fresh mint. The dessert is framed by a spray of bright red azalea leaves. Background is ocean waves with blue sky and seagulls, with a large sailing ship in the distance, as if the dining table overlooks the ocean.
Wheel of Time

Lemon Curd

Zeela
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Visit the Tarasin Palace for an indulgent lemon curd, a favorite dessert of Queen Tylin Quintara of House Mitsobar. Lemon curd is tart, sweet, and rich, perfect for a palace dessert. It is excellent with whipped cream or in a pie shell, or as a filling in fancy pastries.  

We travel via horseback through the countryside of Altara, heading for the capital city of Ebou Dar along the southern coast. The weather here is warm as usual, with a breeze coming off the ocean. Seabirds can be heard constantly overhead. We are greeted as honored guests at the palace. After getting settled in our rooms and changing out of our road-dusty clothes, we make our way to a small courtyard with a lovely view of the water. Large ships belonging to tradespeople arrive to dock and unload their goods, bringing plenty of lemons aboard for the next legs of their journeys.

Lemon trees grow in abundance here and the fruit can be found in foods and drinks across the city. The ingredient list for lemon curd is short and simple; the keys here are patience and constant stirring.

(For an extra-fancy pastry recipe, this Braided Lemon Bread is especially great)

Clear glass dessert cup holding smooth bright yellow lemon curd, topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of fresh mint. The dessert is framed by a spray of bright red azalea leaves. Background is a bamboo table with ocean waves in the distance, as if the dining table overlooks the ocean.

Lemon Curd

Zeela
Rich indulgent dessert, perfect for serving with whipped cream or baking into pastries.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine Wheel of Time
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Fine mesh sieve
  • whisk
  • Microplane or lemon zester

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup lemon juice plus zest from all the lemons – about 4 medium lemons or 9 small lemons
  • 1 stick butter (8 Tbsp)
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 whole eggs + 3 egg yolks

Instructions
 

  • Soak the zest in the lemon juice, then use the fine-mesh strainer to remove zest. (This is for flavor, we do not want the zest texture).
  • MEANWHILE, melt and cool the butter. Strain the butter through the fine-mesh sieve to decrease graininess, then wash the sieve right away so it’s ready for the next step.
  • Prepare fine mesh sieve over a cold bowl so it is ready.
  • Separate eggs.
  • Whisk all ingredients together in a medium saucepan. Set to medium-low. Whisk constantly until thickened and will coat the back of a spoon (about 10-15 minutes). Higher temp will cause egginess.
  • Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve into a cold bowl.
  • Cover the hot curd with plastic wrap, tightly against the surface so it does not form a skin. Refrigerate until cold, then move to a sterilized jar with a lid. Store in the fridge, will keep for up to one week.

Notes

Yes, it is really okay to put plastic wrap straight onto the very hot curd.  
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Zeela