Lemon Curd (sugar free)
Sugar free lemon curd, really really zingy with a real sharp lemon hit!
This recipe is really simple and as long as you take it slow with heating of the egg, you will have a jar of lovely sugar free lemon curd in a matter of minutes, perfect to eat with yogurt, cream or to spread on oatcakes. Yum!
Sweeteners for the lemon curd
Xylitol or erythritol are both suitable sweeteners to use in this recipe, but there are a few things that you should know and be aware of…
Erythritol powder (which is like a icing sugar alternative) can be used in this recipe, but erythritol will crystallize in the curd when it has cooled, meaning there will a slight crisp layer to the top of the set curd.
If you suffer from IBS or similar, then it is advisable to use erythritol powdered sweetener instead as xylitol can trigger gastric upset, whereas erythritol does not.
Xanthan gum
I use a very small amount of xanthan gum powder in the recipe which helps to thicken the lemon curd in the absence of sugar. Xanthan gum powder can be bought in most large stores and can usually be found in the ‘free from’ section. The brand I use is Dove’s Farm and costs around £3.00 a tub
Ingredients
- 2 large lemon juice & zest (finely zested)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 50 grams butter
- 100 grams xylitol or erythritol sweetener
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tsp cold water
Instructions
- Place a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water on the cooker (ensuring the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl) and add the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest & sweetener and stir to melt
- Beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl/jug. Once the butter has melted and the sweetener has dissolved, slowly pour the beaten egg yolk a tbsp at a time, whisking into the liquid
- Once all the egg yolk is added and mixed in, transfer the lemon curd into a small saucepan on a low-medium heat and continue whisking for approx. 10 minutes until the lemon curd has thickened slightly
- Add the xanthan gum to a tsp of cold water and mix vigorously to create a slurry (gel-like paste) Add a tiny amount of the slurry into the lemon curd and continue whisking on the heat until it thickens. Add more if necessary, but allow the xanthan a few minutes of whisking and heating to thicken before adding more. The consistency should be like thick custard
- Once the lemon curd has thickened, pour into a bowl or jar to cool and set aside (add to the fridge if you would like to speed up this process)
Notes
Erythritol sweeteners are what I recommend using in this recipe if you struggle with IBS or gastric issues. Whilst xylitol is fine for most if eaten in small amounts, those who have any gastric conditions such as IBS may find that xylitol can trigger their symptoms. The brand of erythritol I use is NKD Living powdered erythritol.
Artificial powdered sweeteners such as sucralose (like Splenda) or aspartame (like Canderel) can be used in this recipe but they may raise blood glucose levels and can leave a nasty bitter aftertaste and you need to use MUCH MUCH LESS (approx. 6 tbsp but please double check your sweeteners label as they can all differ). Total Sweet xylitol weighs the same as granulated sugar, so you need to work out the equivalent amount to use if using these sweeteners instead. If using Truvia, use this Truvia conversion chart to help you work out the amount required.
