Monday, June 25, 2012

Vegan Lemon Curd

The word "curd" is a little off-putting. I always end up thinking of cottage cheese or the great state of Wisconsin. But in reality, lemon curd is a delicious and versatile treat. Surprisingly creamy and delightfully tart, you can spread lemon curd on just about anything: ice cream, toast, scones, or you could even use it to fill a cupcake. Sure, you could buy a jar, or you could make your own in less than 15 minutes.


The great thing about curd recipes is that you can tweak it to however you'd like it to be. Want it sweeter? Add more sugar. Rather have lime or orange curd? Go right ahead. I'm not the kitchen police. Mix it up and have a little fun.

Further, a citrus curd makes a great present. Just wrap them up in little jars with a cute little tag describing the contents and you could give this away as a birthday or even Christmas present. I even think this would make a really great party favor!

This lemon curd recipe is adapted from Kim's recipe at C'est La Vegan . I prefer more lemon juice and more lemon zest for a more tart, lemony impact. Also, many recipes call for turmeric just for the color. I didn't want to muddle the flavor at all, so I left that out and still got a beautiful creamy yellow hue. While the curd smells like an ambrosial blend of coconut and lemon (I wish I could turn it into a candle, in fact), it has a great tangy lemon punch with a twinge of creamy coconut on the finish. Delicious.

Lemon Curd 
3/4 cup light coconut milk
3/4 cup lemon juice (about 3 large lemons)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
lemon zest (I used zest from 3 lemons)

Zest lemons, then juice. Add lemon juice, coconut milk, cornstarch, and sugar to saucepan. Whisk until completely combined. Cook/whisk on high heat until mixture is hot, but not boiling. Reduce heat to medium, and continue to whisk until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add vanilla and lemon zest. Remove from pan immediately and allow to cool before covering and refrigerating. 

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