Lemon Curd -- Low carb and low calorie
 

Ok, this worked out to 20 calories for 2 Tbls and about 1g of carb. Its probably a tad more than that, but I don't know the carb counts for Polydextrose. I left out the butter because I'm being careful of the calories, but I bet adding it would mellow the flavor a bit. This makes 1.5 cups of curd, a little less without the butter.

Recipe called for:

3 eggs (used 'em)
3/4 cup of sugar (Used 1/2 C of Polydextrose, 1/4 cup of Erythrinol and about 1/8 tsp of liquid splenda (Sweetzfree))
1/3 cup of lemon juice (I used a bit more)
1 Tbl of lemon zest, I used probably more like 2. I love lemon!
6 Tbl of butter (I didn't use)

Anyway, you mix it all together (except the butter) and then cook it over a pan with simmering water, stirring constantly until it comes to 160 degrees. It should take about 10 minutes. If it cooks too fast or too hot, you get scrambled eggs. Take it off the heat once it reaches 160 keep stirring. Add the butter now if you're going to do that.

Pour it into another container and put plastic wrap down on the surface of the curd, so a skin won't form. Refrigerate. It should be about the thickness of pudding that hasn't set up yet and it will firm up when it cools.

I used the bowl from my kitchenaid mixer and put it into a saucepan of simmering water. I have a probe type of thermometer I used to keep track of the heat.

Basically its just an intensely lemon custard. I'll be using it for toppings on yogurt and the occassional bowl muffin and anything else I can think of.

I decided to use the polydextrose because it has properties similar to sugar and I figured this might need that. I don't know what would have happened if I had left it out and only used splenda... I don't think it would have been a good thing.

2 Tablespoons (version without butter) should be about 20 calories, 1 fat gram, 1 carb.

This is so intensely lemon it'll make your tonsils writhe in glee.

I just found a microwaveable way of doing this. I haven't tried it yet, but I will! You nuke it in 1 minute increments for about 4 (for 2 eggs) sessions. After that, you do 30 seconds at a time until it gets thick. Man, it'd be a lot easier to make if you could microwave it!

Greetings, Ms. Nancy.

FYI, here are my calculated guestimates for Polydextrose as I use them in MasterCook (thought this might help):

1 Tbsp =~ 10g total weight, 10g carbs, 8.5g fiber (calculated from the official 10kCals/10g/Tbsp of Litesse Polydextrose).

ps: the microwaveable custard method works, just be conservative on the timing between whiskings, especially if you have 1000W or thereabouts :D ... I've used it for my basic (used not/Sugar veg gums actually) and rich (used some eggs and butter) Lime Curd {eat your heart out!} -- I haven't made it in a couple of years though, so I guess I should reincarnate and re-test those recipes.:o

I agree Jude! I also happened to think I have a temperature probe for my microwave so I can use that to keep my eye on the temperature of my custard. Oooh! Lime curd!

My sister has a recipe for a mustard that is made with an egg custard. I bet that would work in the mwave too.

Thanks for the info on the PDX, I'll get it into my databases.

Oh! One more thing, Valewis says she has made the lemon curd without fussing with the PDX and fancy, schmancy sugar alcohols. So it might be possible to do this with just splenda.

Hmmm... I got to thinking of all the kinds of "curd" one could make:

Chocolate curd: Using unsweetened cocoa powder and sweeteners

Lime curd

Da Vinci Curd, I'm going to try this too. I think using Da Vinci syrups it might... work.

Indeed, as I noted, the Low Cal Lime Curd was made with veg gums (as thickening support) but the 'Rich' Lime Curd was made in the traditional way, with the eggs and butter. It's a custard as you know. The PDX may add something to it, but it's not really necessary IMO.

You GO, girl! I want to see the CHOCOLATE Curd ;)

I remember in a chocolate/mocha custard I made for a trifle that they had you add the chocolate in last and let the heat from the custard melt it. Is that necessary? Or should I do it and cook it with the egg? I know chocolate can get weird when it is cooked.

I assume there are a lot of ways to do it; I would do one of either:
a) chop the chocolate small and melt it in hot cream (if using) or other hot liquid that's part of the recipe just prior to finishing cooking;
b) melt it in the nuker til just scrape-able, then stir it in at the end of cooking/texturizing.

I'd avoid cooking it cuz I just don't see the need; besides, it COULD break and that would be a crime, eh? :lol: After all, it's the thickening/emulsifying power of the eggs that needs watching, not the chocolate...

Cocoa powder shouldn't have an issue being cooked with the eggs, right? I'd sort of think it would need to be mixed in really well with the eggs so it could have a chance to be absorbed, dissolve, whatever it would do. Whatcha think?

I can't use cream in my diet unfortunately!

I took some shortcuts last night. I used 4 eggs, about 2/3 cup of PDX and liquid splenda. I also used bottled lemon juice (not nearly as potent) and I had some frozen zest in the freezer.

So I mixed everything except the lemon peel and put into a microwaveable bowl and used the microwave in short bursts. I also have a temperature probe in the microwave which I used.

It actually worked pretty well even though it started to curdle, I did catch it before it got too far. The problem with the microwave is that it heats it up too fast. Probably using it on 50% would be better.

This lemon curd came out with a very mellow flavor, not the really super tangy stuff with the real lemon made. But still, it is very tasty!

I'm running out of eggs!

Dumb question.......gotta ask it: WHAT is lemon curd? is it like a pudding you eat with a spoon? is it a condiment you spread on bread? is a frosting you put on cake? WHATWHATWHAT?

Yes, I live in the sticks, and it's highly unlikely that a container of lemon curd ever traversed the borders of this po-dunk town. It's not that I've never heard of it, I just don't know what it is or how you use it. :)

Thank you for allowing my ignorance to show. But I'll bet I'm not the only one going, 'what the ****?' :p

The traditional stuff is very thick, a knife would stand up in it. It is spreadable, like Nutella. I suspect it is an English invention and I bet they put it on scones. Its extremely lemony and sweet and it'll make your tonsils writhe in lemony ecstasy. I have put it on French Toast, bread, yogurt, cottage cheese, directly on my tongue... anything I can think of! Oh yes, another thing I think people put it on is pound cake.

My version, without the butter, isn't quite so thick and is more like a custard or pudding versus a spread. Still extremely tasty on all the things I mentioned.

Valewis had the brilliant idea of using more yolks to whole eggs to make the curd stiffer!

my sister made a divine HIGH CARB lemon chicken with regular lemon curd. Just think what could be done with the LC version!


my mouth is watering now!


deb

BTW, is there a way to do this without the polyD? I don't have any. :wave:

Yes! I talked to another low carber who did it without. I think she also used 2 egg yolks + 2 whole eggs, that'll make it thicker.

Hey, care to share your sister's recipe? that sounds really good!