THE NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE LEMON CURD: CROCK POT OR TRADITIONAL

Steps:

• Firstly, pour about 2 inches/5 cm of very hot water into the ceramic part of your slow cooker and turn it onto high heat. Put the lemon juice, lemon rind, sugar and butter into the largest heatproof bowl which will fit inside your slow cooker. Put the bowl into the slow cooker and pour enough near-boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the bowl.
• Leave the mixture in the slow cooker for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Take the bowl out of the cooker and leave to cool for a few minutes, then turn the cooker to a low heat.
• Beat the eggs and then strain them through a sieve into the lemon curd mixture and whisk well until it is combined. Cover the bowl with a lid or foil if no lid is available and put it back into the slow cooker.
• Cook the lemon curd on a low heat for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it is thick enough to cover the back of the wooden spoon, stirring every 15 to 25 minutes - I left mine without stirring for about 30 minutes with no harm done!
• NOTE. (My mum makes it this way and does NOT stir it as often as I do; she says it works very well - and if it looks curdled at any stage, a brisk whisk at the end of the cooking time brings at all back together.).
• Pour the lemon curd into some small warmed sterilized jars, cover and seal. You can store this in a cool place or ideally in the fridge and it will keep for 3 months. Once the jar is opened then it must be kept in the fridge and will last for one month.
• TRADITIONAL COOKING METHOD.
• Grate rind of lemons and squeeze out juice. Put sugar, rind and juice, butter and beaten eggs into a large basin on top of a pan of simmering water.
• Stir with a wooden spoon until thick and curd coats the back of the spoon.
• Pour into warm sterile jars, cover, seal and label.
• Refrigerate.