What to do with leftover lemons?

This recipe works so well for my cakes as it uses any leftover lemons. When I use lemon zest in my cakes, I have lots of leftover lemons. I hate waste and a recipe that uses up leftovers is always a winner with me. Lemons are available all year round which makes them super versatile and there is no extra planning needed to make sure we use them in a short seasonal window. If you use lemon zest in a recipe but have no plans for the juice, freeze the juice and store it until the occasion arises that you need some lemon curd. And who doesn’t need some lemon curd every now and again.

How do I choose the best lemons?

I prefer to buy lemons that I can choose individually rather than in a pack. Besides the fact that you don’t have to deal with the plastic wrapping, you can pick and choose the perfect lemons. When choosing your lemons find ones without any blemishes or green spots (a sign it is under ripe), they should have smooth skin and have a little give when squeezed (a good indication that there is less pith and more juice). They should have a nice heaviness to them.

I always love the way that tv chefs just squeeze the lemon halves to squeeze out the juice.

There are a few tricks to getting the most juice out of your lemons. Keep your lemons at room temperature. Roll them on the bench using the pressure of your palm to release the juice. Popping them in the microwave for 15 seconds can also help with the juicing. It is entirely up to you how you choose to juice your lemons. I always love the way that tv chefs just squeeze the lemon halves to squeeze out the juice. I have tried this and failed dismally. I don’t think my hands are strong enough for that. I would recommend a citrus reamer or a hand juicer. Both of which you can pick up fairly cheaply at Kmart or Robins Kitchen type places.

How do I use the leftover whites?

The second best thing about this recipe is that it uses whole eggs. Yay to no wastage!! Since being introduced to this recipe, the only time I will use just yolks in my curd is when I am making lemon meringue pie. The reason being? I can use the egg whites for the meringue. Don’t you just love when things work out that way.

Yay to no wastage!!

So here it is, the best lemon curd recipe that you will just love.

First put all ingredients except the eggs into a small saucepan.

Place over a low heat and stir with a whisk until the sugar as dissolved and the butter has melted.

Place one egg in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Add to the saucepan and continue to whisk. Repeat with the second egg.

Continue to whisk until the curd has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools.