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Meyer Lemon Ginger Curd

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This curd is so lovely. It makes me think of my friend Charlotte. These are her kind of flavors: bright, tart, sweet and citrusy with a bit of ginger-heat.

If I were making her a new dessert, this would be a featured component. When I tasted it, I got a little misty, sad that I couldn’t share it with her now that she lives halfway across the country in Vermont.

It’s been more than a year since she and her husband, Ed, left Chicago, but I’m still not totally used to it. I have moments when I forget, when I expect to have them over for a dinner party or be at their place for games or some get-together or other. I miss them both!

So Charlotte, this recipe is for you, even if this particular batch of curd is all for me.

Meyer Lemon Ginger Curd

Meyer lemons seemed to be ubiquitous in food magazines and blogs a few years ago, but I haven’t seen so many recipes featuring them lately. Perhaps their moment as the it-citrus has passed, but they’re still worth seeking out.

They are smaller than Eureka lemons (the variety of lemons we think of just as “regular” and are most likely to find at the grocery store). Their skin is thinner and orange-tinged. They have an exotic floral fragrance and they are sweeter than Eurekas as well.

Meyer Lemon Ginger Curd

When combined with fresh ginger, their flavor just sings.

This is one of my favorite fruit curds, and I’ve made quite a few. I can’t promise that I won’t change my mind when I make the next one; I can be fickle like that (it was cranberry last year, then passion fruit). But this one is really quite good.

Meyer Lemon Ginger Curd

I won’t lie, grating the ginger is a little bit of pain. (Don’t bother if you don’t have either a microplane or a ceramic ginger grater, but if you don’t have a microplane, buy one, they’re super useful.)  

Still, stick with it, it’s worth it. It doesn’t take too long and everything will smell gingery and wonderful.

Meyer Lemon Ginger Curd

I no longer bother with double boilers or tempering eggs when making fruit curds. I just combine everything in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and heat it gently and then pass it through a strainer to catch any coagulated egg bits or stray fruit pulp.

This method feels less fussy to me and the results are every bit as good.

This would be good on toast, stirred into yogurt, spooned alongside muffins or scones, dolloped on pancakes or french toast, sandwiched between macarons, or as a topping for lemon buttermilk cakes.

(It is also the major building block of this very good Meyer lemon ginger mousse. And this lemon ginger tart.)

Or, if no one is looking, you can just eat it with a spoon.

(I won’t tell, promise!)

Meyer Lemon Ginger Curd
Yield: 2 cups

Meyer Lemon Ginger Curd

Meyer Lemon Ginger Curd

This curd is citrusy and gingery and sweet and tart. Meyer lemons are usually available at places like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, but I actually found these at my local Jewel, which tends not to carry very exotic produce, so I think they must be more widely distributed than they once were. If you can’t find them, you could make this with Eureka lemons or a combination of lemons and oranges. It won’t be quite the same, but I’m sure it would still be very nice.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 21 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 4-inch piece of ginger, peeled
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice, from about 4 lemons
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

  1. Grate the ginger with a microplane zester and pass it through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl to catch the juice. Press it with a rubber spatula (or your impeccably clean hands) to really squeeze the liquid out of the pulp. Save the juice and discard the pulp. (And give the microplane a quick rinse to save yourself some cleanup.)
  2. In a small heavy saucepan, whisk together the eggs and sugar until thoroughly combined. Add the Meyer lemon juice and the ginger juice and stir again. Heat gently over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles at a low simmer, about 6 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Pass through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and allow it to cool. Transfer to a jar or covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Keeps for a few weeks in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 48Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 12mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

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Heather

Sunday 12th of July 2020

If you also add the zest of the meyer lemons you’ll get a much more flavorful curd. So much of the beautiful taste of lemons is in the peel.

Mary Kasprzak

Monday 13th of July 2020

I love lemon zest, but I would be judicious with it here if you decide to add some. Meyer lemon zest can be overwhelmingly perfume-y if you use too much.

Louise

Monday 26th of August 2019

I juiced the ginger, (140g) which yields quite a lot of juice - probably a third of a cup or more. The flavour is quite strong in the finished product, but delicious Dont do this if you don't like strong taste of ginger .

Emily Alexander

Friday 26th of July 2019

How long will it keep?

Mary Kasprzak

Friday 26th of July 2019

It keeps in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.

Christa

Thursday 27th of June 2019

Do you taste the ginger in this? I’m looking for a recipe that you get that zing from the ginger.

Mary Kasprzak

Thursday 27th of June 2019

Christa, yes you taste the ginger!

Jennifer

Friday 12th of April 2019

Ever since a friend of mine, who is a great Indian cook, told me that ginger paste is the secret to fantastic Indian food, I always have a jar in the fridge. I'm going to try using that and pressing it through the strainer until I get a tablespoon. Fingers crossed!

Mary Kasprzak

Saturday 13th of April 2019

I've never used ginger paste--but that could be a great shortcut. Let me know how it goes!

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