Homemade Lemon Curd with Star Anise
There’s nothing quite like a good homemade lemon curd, made using fresh ingredients and this tangy lemon curd recipe is perfectly suited to that. It tastes so much fresher than a jar of it you would buy at the shop, and it really isn’t that difficult to make.
There are so many uses for it. You can spread it on your toast or crumpets, or get creative and make a wonderful dessert with it like my lemon curd cheesecake recipe.
What is Curd?
Curd is a dessert spread made with fruit, usually citrus. The basic ingredients are beaten eggs, sugar, butter, fruit juice, and zest, which are gently cooked until they are thickened and coat the back of a spoon, which is then strained to remove the zest and in this case, the star anise, and is then allowed to cool to form a soft, smooth, flavourful spread. Curd also has a thicker texture similar to custard.
Types of Fruit Curd
When it comes to fruit curd, there’s almost no limits to the options you can try. The most popular though tend to be berries, citrus and tropical flavoured fruits.
Citrus is a perfect option thanks to natural flavours that range from sweet and tangy to sour and bitter. You also see lemon and lime curd, orange curd, passion fruit curd, raspberry curd, mango curd, blackberry curd, are just a few examples here, but I think you get the picture on what you can turn into a curd ha ha!
Brief history lesson
Lemon curd dates back to England in the early 1800’s, but the recipe back then was rather different and is believed to have came about as a way to preserve lemons and use them in cooking.
Lemons were considered a luxury item at the time. Originally the recipe was called “lemon cheese”, which was lemon acidulating cream to form curds then separated from the whey through a cheesecloth.
Homemade lemon curd gained popularity as a delicious spread for bread, scones, and biscuits, and it became a staple in British households. Its versatility also led to its use in desserts, cakes, tarts and as a filling for pastries.
Over time, the recipe evolved, and variations incorporating additional ingredients such as spices, herbs, and different citrus fruits emerged like this homemade lemon curd recipe I have created with the inclusion of star anise.
Today, lemon curd remains a beloved condiment and ingredient, enjoyed not only in the UK, but also around the world for its tangy, sweet, and creamy flavour profile.
So here is the recipe, it is really easy, and super tasty to eat…
Lemon curd with star anise
Ingredients
- 4 Unwaxed Lemons Zested and juiced
- 200 g Caster Sugar
- 100 g Unsalted Butter
- 4 Large Eggs Beaten
- 1 Star Anise Optional
Instructions
- Create a double boiler by sitting a glass ceramic dish, on top of a saucepan filled with a little water and turn on to a medium heat like the picture shown.
- Put the lemon zest, juice, sugar, star anise (if using), and butter into the glass bowl and stir until the butter has melted.
- Pour in the beaten eggs, and keep stirring until the mixture has thickened. Don't rush the process or your eggs will scramble.
- Once the curd has thickened up and coats the back of a spoon thick, pour the curd through a sieve to remove the zest and star anise into a jug.
- Pour the Lemon curd into a sterilised jam jar and allow to cool.
- Refrigerate and use within two weeks.
