Back to basics. Lemon butter/Lemon Curd.

Lemon Butter used to be quite time consuming to make using a double boiler and a lot of stirring.    Now you can just just the microwave and pretend to be making a custard or white sauce.   Blend,  microwave,  stir every 3 minutes.  It's all done in twelve.   

For me  having chickens means sometimes there are a lot of eggs to use up.   When I also have a lot of lemons it is a naturally the perfect time to make Lemon Butter.

I posted the recipe on my old blog and you can find it here  Jars of Sunshine.   It is so easy to make and so bright and gorgeous looking, and tasting.    Your jars and pies will literally look like sunshine!

The next good thing is Lemon Butter freezes perfectly.  Then there are so many ways to use it.

Mostly you don't have to do anything with it as if you give someone a jar they will be pretty happy.   However I have used it in so many ways.   One is I simply have some yoghurt and berries for a breakfast or desert and top with a spoon of Lemon Butter.  So delicious.    

Here I have filled tart cases... some of these are being gifted tomorrow and some into the freezer. 

I also filled sponge cakes... one of these is heading to Chloe's household tomorrow and one is frozen.

Another idea is to make layer style deserts (like a trifle)  with a layer of Lemon Butter... or little jar deserts with berries,  lemon butter and cream.   Maybe a layer of sponge cake?  Or some pavlova or meringue like Eton Mess?   Basically you cant go wrong!   Little jars filled with desert are gorgeous to take on a picnic.... or deliver to someone.

At my old house there was a rose bush covered in yellow flowers.  As I am hopeless at cake decorating I would use a freshly picked rose as my fancy touch.

I made a batch yesterday and a batch today.... so that used 20 eggs and 20 lemons!   It is so enjoyable to make as it is so quick and looks so good.

My suggestion is that if you want it to fill tart cases then pour it in hot and you will get a smooth top.   But for filling little cakes,  on toast,  on fruit...  just scoop it out of your jar.   I keep it up to two weeks in the fridge... otherwise I freeze it.

I still have so many lemons but I have to wait for the chooks to catch up!   

I hope this is handy for some of you.   Really it is a matter of what you have and what you can make with it.   It is about making the absolute most of what comes our way.    Getting to work and putting things to good use,  into the menu and maybe also some to share. 

If there is a birthday coming up (or even if we think of Christmas) we can hide away goodies made during the year to add to the special occasion cooking.    Lemon Butter also goes a long way because it is rich in flavour.  

Today, in the kitchen,  I had pasties cooking and lemon butter going in the microwave.   I still have some things cooling before I can put them away.   So it was a good day! xxx