Lemon Curd

Winter, Citrus, Delight!  I love anything lemon!  It is so refreshing...the tart beauty..the brilliant color.  It sings a promise of sunshine and warmth of days to come.  Ahhh.....huge smile!  Enjoy the Lemon Curd.  I'm going to make an abundance of it and freeze.

I made the Lemon Curd with whole eggs.  I also added them at the beginning, along with the juice and sugar.  I made Grapefruit Curd also *recipe soon* and added it after the syrup was made.  I was the same either way.  Do whatever is easiest for you.  This can also be viewed at Examiner.com, please take a moment and visit.  I'd love for you to subscribe there also...the button is above the slideshow.

Lemon Curd

makes 2 1/2 pints

1 cup lemon juice...4 to 8 lemons, depending on size

1 to 2 Tablespoons zest, 1 T is tart

1 cup sugar, more if you want it sweeter

3 eggs, whole

6 Tablespoons butter...use the real stuff, sliced 

jars or containers, sterilized

Zest lemons and cover so it doesn't dry out.  Juice lemons to make 1 cup juice.  

Stir juice, sugar and eggs to blend.  

Put a heatproof bowl, stainless steel or pyrex as I used... on top of a pot of water to form a double boiler.  Make certain bowl isn't too far in the pot and the water does not touch the bowl while boiling.  Let the dog out, get the kids a snack, put on comfy shoes and some good music, get your whisk and be prepared to be glued to the stove for 15 minutes more or less.  Heat the water to a low to medium boil and start stirring.  

Stir, stir, stir, and stir some more.  

When the mixture is thick and you can make a line on the back of a spoon, it is ready.
This should have a temperature of at least 160 degrees F.

 Add butter, some recipes said to add on pat at a time....I added it all at once and it worked for me.  

Stir in zest if using...I didn't use it this but did in the Grapefruit Curd.

Pour into clean and sterile containers.  I used canning jars.  

Put in the refrigerator and let chill completely.  

Be certain to cover the jars!  I put them in the fridge, thinking it would just be a minute,

got busy and well, ya know the rest.  Cover the jars or you will have a slight film on top.  

I ate it...YUM!

There ya go!  Homemade Lemon Curd!  

Homemade Yogurt *recipe coming soon* and Homemade Lemon Curd.

Enjoy!  

DIY Homemade Maple Syrup

I don't know about y'all but we go through a lot of syrup in our house.  I got tired of buying it all the time and decided to make my own.  You control the strength of flavor, the add ins and type/amount of sweetener you use.  It's so easy and inexpensive p to do.   Keep it in an old syrup bottle or dispenser for convenience and nobody is the wiser.  ~wink~

DIY Homemade Maple Syrup

1/2 cup water, boiling

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon maple extract or imitation maple 

kosher salt, just a pinch, optional

1/8 to 1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste, optional

In a microwave proof large bowl or large cup, you need room for water to boil, stir sugar into heat water and heat to a boil, 2 to 3 minutes, more or less.  Checking after one minute then every 30 seconds to be certain it doesn't boil over. Carefully take out of microwave and stir.  If the sugar isn't dissolved, put back in microwave 30 seconds at the time.  Stir in maple extract and cinnamon, if you want it.  

Alternately, stir sugar into water and heat to a boil.  Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.  Take off heat and add maple extract and cinnamon, if using.
NOTE
I made this again before starting my pancake using 1/2 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon maple extract, a bit of cinnamon, ginger and pinch of salt.   I kept it at a simmer while the pancakes were cooking.  It reduced a bit and was great.  Served it over Pumpkin Pancakes and my oldest said it was an explosion of yumminess in his mouth.

Figs and Honey Preserves

Having found B1G1 figs, I decided I would try them…again. Memories of my both grandmas and my Aunt Ree Ree’s homemade fig preserves have lingered in my mind for many, many years. The trees in their backyards so full the branches almost touch the ground. A pine snake as I was helping pick them one late summer day. The smell as they cook and the ping of the lids as they seal…..such sweet and treasured memories.
I have never liked the taste of figs…blech! However, I do like the taste of the seedy syrup that surrounds the lingering pieces of figs. Smear it on a slice of lightly toasted just backed bread..LOVE! Such a like and dislike like no other food I have ever eaten. Did you get that? ~smile~ The first pound of figs was made into a, well, heck, I don’t know what it was but it was just okay. Hubby ate it all and it was pretty to boot! Just wasn’t my cup a tea. A few days later I remembered I still had a pound and a few stragglers left in the refrigerator. I started off peeling them and got tired of it so I just tipped the stem and cut them in quarters. They simmered on the stove for a bit and oh my word! The house smelled wonderful! Go get some figs and fill your house with lovely smells and memories. Love and Hugs!

Figs and Honey

1 pound fresh figs, mission, brown turkey….throw any that are just hanging around in the fridge by the strawberries

3/4 to 1 cup honey

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice, I used bottled, that’s what I had, this is optional

Take the stems off figs and peel them if you want to.

Put in a heavy pot.

Add 3/4 teaspoon honey to begin with1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice if you are using it.

Bring to a soft boil and then simmer, stirring very frequently.

Taste and add more honey and/or lemon juice if you need it.

Cook until you reach the desired consistency you like. I made mine very thick.

Let cool and put in a container if you are going to use it within the next week or so…..CHECK THIS 4 half pints or 2 pints, depending on how thick you like yours. I had 3 half pints after hubby got finished “tasting” the figs.

We ate some for breakfast this morning on toasted homemade bread and Goodness, they were good! I used one half pint this afternoon making *Nutty Fig Bars.  Enjoy! 

*recipe next post ~smile~