Saturday 23 March 2013

Wombat Friday, Jane Morris and extolling the virtues of lemon curd

Here is my offering for this week's Wombat Friday.  Accompanying my wombat today is the painting 'Proserpine' by Dante Gabriel Rossetti - the first painting of his that made an impression back in my teenage years.  He painted several versions of this image of Jane Morris and I was fascinated by the colour of her dress, ranging from teal green, through green/turquoise and purple/blue, depending on which version you see.  I was also fascinated by the model - feminine but with a masculine jaw.  Was she real and if she was, did she really look like that?  Yes and yes was the answer.
Jane Morris was the wife of William Morris (the Victorian version of a 'Renaissance Man') and she really did look like that.  I was particularly envious of her beautiful curls as my hair was (and still is) fine and straight as a poker.
I have also managed to include cake this Friday, which is homemade lemon curd and buttercream sponge.  The lemon curd came about as I had been seeing it on various blogs which I follow and decided I needed to make some.  Having bought lemons, I set to, following Nigel Slater's recipe ( link here):

Nigel Slater's LEMON CURD
Most lemon curd recipes instruct you to stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. I find that stirring lightly with a whisk introduces just a little more lightness into the curd, making it slightly less solid and more wobbly.

Makes 2 small jam jars
zest and juice of 4 unwaxed lemons
200g sugar
100g butter
3 eggs and 1 egg yolk

Put the lemon zest and juice, the sugar and the butter, cut into cubes, into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the basin doesn't touch the water. Stir with a whisk from time to time until the butter has melted.

Mix the eggs and egg yolk lightly with a fork, then stir into the lemon mixture. Let the curd cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes, until it is thick and custard-like. It should feel heavy on the whisk.

Remove from the heat and stir occasionally as it cools. Pour into spotlessly clean jars and seal. It will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

 It made two and a half small jars of the most delicious, mouth watering lemon curd.  I didn't have unwaxed lemons, so just omitted the zest (I don't really like 'bits' in the lemon curd anyway).  I am going to make some sponge buns with lemon curd in their middle as I think that would be gorgeous too.  With the weather the way it is at the moment, and winter still very much in charge, we all need some sunshine, whether in the floral form of daffodils, or the edible form of lemon curd.

10 comments:

  1. You are so right about home-made lemon curd - it's Spring in a jar and as Spring isn't exactly out there we need it in the jar! Fascinating about Mrs Morris and yes, her jaw is seemingly quite masculine. I'd trade my curly hair with your straight hair any day you choose. I hate my curls and do all I can to straighten them! Clipped back when wet and when I have the time blow-dried to within an inch of their lives is the way to go as far as I am concerned! Ceramic tongs, I find, do for that final stubborn inch of life they cling to and I show no mercy whatsoever! Heartless, I know! E x

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    1. Dear E
      Thank you - I am going to make the lemon curd buns today all being well. Having read about your tussle with your curly hair, perhaps mine, although boring, is a lot easier to manage. I do have to wash it every day as I wake up with a hair style resembling Ken Dodd's, but it take two minutes to dry and is then not that much trouble during the day. (Secretly, I do still yearn for a mass of tumbling Pre-Raphaelite curls, although they wouldn't suit me at all!)
      It is interesting that no matter what sort of hair we have, we all would like something different!
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  2. Do you know, I have never made lemon curd, but I'm pretty sure I have this exact recipe clipped from a magazine or newspaper in my recipe book. I adore lemon curd and I'd love to make it. It does sound quite straightforward!

    There is a lovely Nigella recipe somewhere where you just make a plain sponge then sandwich the two layers with lemon curd and whipped marscapone. If I get round to making the lemon curd I'll make the cake too!

    Gillian x

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    1. Dear Gillian
      Thank you. Lemon curd is really simple to make, but it did take quite a while to thicken and at one point, I felt it would never work! It was definitely worth the trouble though as it tastes so much better than lemon curd in the shops. In the smae article where I found the recipe, there were some other ideas for using lemon curd, such as half and half with whipped cream to make a syllabub, or on pancakes... I'll add the link to it to the post above. Do let me know if you make the lemon curd and how you get on!
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  3. I meant to say, in the 'same article', not smae! That will teach me to reply without checking!
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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  4. Sounds divine! I havent made any cake for a week or two because we are trying to cut the cals but cake it the one thing I really really love!

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    1. Dear Anne
      Thank you - the cake was lovely even though the lemon curd was a little squelchy and ran over the sides. I have since made some lemon curd buns with a spoonful of lemon curd in the middle of the cakes, but it sank to the bottom, although it gives a lovely tang to each mouthful! We had to try not to think of the calories!
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  5. Hi Ellie, I have a lemon tree whose branches are drooping with the weight of soon to be ripe fruit - this is the perfect recipe - Thank you for sharing !

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    1. Dear Aussie Felter
      Thank you. Lucky you to have a supply of your own lemons! You're very welcome for the recipe, which I have made twice now and it is delicious. The curd mixture always looks as though it will never thicken up, but it always does. I have made another lemon curd and buttercream cake and it is lovely swirled into plain yogurt too - yum! I hope your lemon curd is successful.
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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    2. Dear Aussie Felter
      I forgot to say a huge welcome to my blog and I hope you enjoy reading it.
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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