Apple Lemon Curd: A Sweet Zingy Creamy Spread

Turn your surplus apples into a delicious zingy spread with this recipe for apple lemon curd. Use it as a cake filling or topping, spoon it over breakfast porridge or dollop it over pancakes. Or simply enjoy it on bread or toast.

I have a commission to make the cakes for a friend’s Open House weekend. This feels quite a responsibility and is taking some planning, but it’s also fun as I’ve been given free rein to bake what I like. The only specific request I’ve had are for some of the apple rock cakes I made back in August.

I haven’t fully decided what I’m going to do yet, but with an ongoing apple glut, it seemed timely to prepare some apple and lemon curd so I can use it as a filling or topping or both. The idea for this came when browsing through the excellent Preserves: River Cottage Handbook No 2 by Pam Corbin. I followed the spirit of Pam’s recipe but not its exact method or quantities.

Apple Lemon Curd

The apple lemon curd sets really well. It’s smooth, soft and buttery. The zingy lemon notes come through for sure, but with noticeable fruity overtones. It’s less sharp than lemon curd and also creamier. So not only is it delicious, but it makes a good stand alone filling for a cake.

It’s sweeter than either the lime & ginger curd or apricot curd recipes I made earlier in the year. And this, even though I use less than half the amount of sugar stated in the original recipe with two thirds of the apple.

The quantities I’ve given in the recipe below makes three medium sized jars.

In the end, the first time I made it, I used the apple lemon curd to sandwich this celebration chocolate cake.

Apple Lemon Curd: Top Tips

Subtle notes of cardamom make this apple lemon curd spread even more delicious. I keep a jar of golden caster sugar with a handful of cardamom pods embedded in it for just such occasions.

A balloon whisk is the best tool for this job. You don’t need to stand over the curd the whole time it’s cooking, but you will need to give it a thorough whisk every couple of minutes or so.

Be careful not to overheat the curd as it cooks. If it comes to a simmer or boil, it will turn into scrambled eggs and then it’s difficult to rescue. You can cook the curd over a very low heat in a saucepan, but it’s safer to do it in a bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water.

Make sure you sterilise your jars properly. For more information on this, see my post on how to sterilise glass jars.

Store in a cool dark cupboard and it will keep unopened for three months. Once you open a jar, keep it in the fridge and use within a week.

What Apples To Use?

In the recipe below, I used windfalls from my mother’s garden. They’re Cornish apples, but I’m not sure of the variety. They’re not too sharp and not too sweet either.

If you can’t find organic lemons, use unwaxed ones instead. This is because ordinary lemons are sprayed wax to help preserve them, but it’s quite hard to scrub off.

Any type of cooking or soft apple is ideal for this apple lemon curd. You want apples that break down when cooked and whiz up into a smooth purée. Bramley apples are ideal.

Recipes To Use Apple Lemon Curd

You can substitute this apple lemon curd for any recipe that includes lemon curd. Indeed any recipe that contains any sort of fruit curd. Here are a few ideas:

• Chilli chocolate cake with apricot curd buttercream
• Chocolate cake waffles with strawberries & lemon curd
• Chocolate tarts with lime curd & mascarpone
• Lemon coconut cakes
• Passionfruit curd sponge cake
• Roasted plum parfait with lemon curd

If you’d rather just make apple sauce, I have you covered there too.

Keep in Touch

Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this apple lemon curd, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.

For more delicious and nutritious recipes follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard or Pinterest. And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Or why not join the conversation in our Healthy Vegetarian Whole Food Recipes Facebook Group?

If you’d like more fruit curd recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.

Choclette x

Apple Lemon Curd. PIN IT.

Apple Lemon Curd – The Recipe

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Apple Lemon Curd

Turn your surplus apples into a delicious zingy spread with this recipe for apple lemon curd. Use it as a cake filling or topping, spoon it over breakfast porridge or dollop it over pancakes. Or simply enjoy it on bread or toast.

Cook ModeToggle to keep screen awake

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dips, Spreads & Sauces

Cuisine: British

Keyword: apples, fruit curd, lemons, spread

Servings: 3 jars

Calories: 659kcal

Author: Choclette @ Tin and Thyme

Equipment

• stick blender (affiliate link)

Ingredients

• 5 large apples (to give around 350g flesh once peeled and cored)
• 200 g golden caster sugar (I used cardamom sugar)
• 1 organic lemon
• 80 g unsalted butter cut into cubes
• 2 large eggs (I used duck eggs)

Instructions

• Peel, core and roughly chop the apples (variety unknown) to give just over 350g flesh.
  5 large apples
• Simmer them in a pan with just a splash of water until they’re soft. Then blitz to a smooth puree with a stick blender or food processor.
• Scrape the purée into a Pyrex, or other heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Ensure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl.
• Add the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
  200 g golden caster sugar
• Grate in the lemon zest, then squeeze in the juice. Give a good stir.
  1 organic lemon
• Stir in the butter until it has melted and the mixture is smooth.
  80 g unsalted butter
• Beat in the eggs one by one and whisk until everything is smooth.
  2 large eggs
• Give an occasional whisk over the next 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture is thick and creamy.
• If you’re worried about possible eggy “bits”, press the mixture through a sieve. This is a bit of a faff and not really necessary as it should be perfectly smooth and creamy. I only ever seived it the first time I made it.
• Pour into 3 sterilised glass jars, cover with waxed discs then screw on the lids.
• Leave to cool and store in the fridge.

Notes

Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 659kcal | Carbohydrates: 112g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 422mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 99g | Vitamin A: 997IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below letting us know how you got on and do share a photo on Instagram. Tag @choclette8 or use hashtag #tinandthyme.

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Susan, whose blog title splendidly encapsulates the essence of her blog, A little bit of heaven on a plate, is running a homemade and well preserved challenge. This is my entry.

Ruth from the The Pink Whisk has just started a monthly challenge and this recipe fits nicely into her October theme: apples.