Vegan Lemon Curd

Summer berries are readily available everywhere, and there is one simple condiment that can turn a little bowl of mixed berries into a decadent little dessert. Lemon Curd. It’s zesty tang and freshness work so wonderfully with the sweetness of fruits. You can, of course, buy it in the store but once you see how easily this is made you won’t be buying this anymore. And why should you when you can enjoy this delicious homemade vegan lemon curd.

Now, this is a recipe that has as many variations as it has uses. Even without venturing into vegan territory the traditional recipes differ a lot from each other, which raises the question: what are the essential ingredients that you actually can not do without?

Lemon curd has been out of reach for me for months when I initially went vegan. It seemed impossible to make since the traditional lemon curd is made of lemon juice, sugar, butter and egg yolks. Now don’t get me wrong I always loved cooking and making things from scratch I just never really thought about the ingredients themselves and why some were crucial in certain dishes.

Let’s take the main ingredient here. The lemon juice. Its primary job apart from delivering the flavour is that it has emulsifying properties. If you try to mix oil and water, you won’t have much luck, but once you add lemon, it’s a whole other story. The butter provides an extra silky texture and creaminess while the egg yolks seem to both add colour and texture since they thicken the curd. The sugar is pretty much self-explanatory.

What you mainly need is lemon juice, a thickener and fat. I have tried numerous ways of making it, with different ingredients but this seems to work for me each single time without fail. To make your vegan lemon curd all you need is lemon juice, coconut cream, sugar and arrowroot powder. The last ingredient might sound alien to you, but it can be found in the baking aisle of supermarkets. If you have trouble finding it, you can substitute it for cornstarch.

It is all just a matter of mixing the ingredients, stirring them while simmering and then chilling your lemon curd. You can even adapt it to your preference. Add sugar for more sweetness or even use less zest for a milder lemon curd. Doesn’t seem too complicated when you look at it that way, and it is that simple. In fact, lemon curd is so easy to make that it would be a shame to buy it in the store. There is just something gratifying about spreading your home made lemon curd onto waffles or eating it with berries. How do you like to eat yours? Don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram posts with #gloriathegreedyvegan I love to follow what you are doing. 

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