Vegan Lemon Curd

paula

9 years ago

Lemon curd has always been something of an enigma to me. It is tart yet sweet. It is light yet rich. It is complex yet simple.

I decided to take my dairy-free version a step further and make it egg-free as well. The vegan-friendly version still tastes rather rich despite the omission of egg yolks that are traditionally found in lemon curd. The only thing I found noticeably lacking was the more vibrant yellow color. So, I decided to enhance it some by adding grated lemon zest to the mix. The zest also added an extra lemon punch to the curd.

Recipe: Dairy-Free Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

1/4 c. water
3 Tbsp. corn starch
1/2 c. lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 to 3/4 c. sugar (less if using Meyer lemons)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. unsweetened, plain almond milk
1 tsp. lemon rind, optional
2 Tbsp. dairy-free/vegan margarine

Instructions:

Make a slurry by combining the water and the corn starch and set aside.
Combine lemon juice, sugar (start with less and add more later if needed), and salt in a nonreactive, heavy bottomed sauce pan.
Constantly whisk of medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot.
Gradually add the cornstarch slurry while whisking.
Allow the lemon mixture to continue cooking while whisking until it boils and is thickened.
Remove from heat when desired thickness is reached as boiling it for too long will break the sauce (curd).
Add milk, margarine and lemon rind (if using) and blend well.
Cool in the pan or another nonreactive container (glass, etc). Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper that touches the surface to prevent a “skin” from forming.
To store, refrigerate in a covered container.
Note: Curd will thicken some more as it cools.