Greek Yogurt, Lemon Curd, and Walnut Crumble
I love the bright twang of lemon curd. But, instead of going through the trouble of making a whole lemon tart, I do a lazy version and drop it in a small glass with cool yogurt. This time around I added the nutty crunch of a walnut crumble inspired by a recipe from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage.
The lemon curd is a beautiful bright yellow, which is provided by, not only the lemon juice and zest, but also very yellow egg yolks. I find your standard store-bought eggs can be quite pale, but pasture raised eggs will give you a beautiful rich hue that translates to a lovely vibrant yellow curd.
The crumble is nutty with just the right amount of sweetness. I make a couple of cups at a time and put it on a chia and oat bircher bowl, a cream cheese-topped bagel, or with a vanilla yogurt and fresh berries. You can switch out the walnuts with pecans, hazelnuts, or sliced almond. Just be sure they are raw, since they will toast up in the oven.
This treat is great as a quick dessert, especially if you have some unexpected guests over for dinner. Just keep each component separately and assemble when needed. If you were to make a lemon tart, the crust would get soggy after a day or so, so this is a great alternative. You can also justify eating this for breakfast by adding some fresh berries and upping the yogurt…sneaky, right?
You can also switch out the lemon for lime, grapefruit, or orange, or a mixture there of. Be sure to lower the amount of sugar in the recipe if using orange, since the fruit is less tart.
Lemon Curd - (Yield: 3/4 – 1 cup)
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
6 egg yolks
1. In a pot, melt the butter over low heat. I like to cut it into small chunks so it melts faster.
2. Once the butter is melted, remove from the heat while you add the sugar, zest, and lemon juice. Fully combine with a whisk.
3. Add the egg yolks and mix briskly with a whisk to fully incorporate.
4. Return the pot to the low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the curd thickens. This will take 5-10 minutes. Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat or the eggs could scramble or stick to the bottom of the pot. It will be ready when the curd coats the back of the wooden spoon.
5. Remove from the heat and immediately push through a fine mesh strainer with a rubber spatula into a bowl. This will remove all the lemon zest and any other cooked egg bits, leaving you with an ultra smooth curd.
6. Leave to cool at room temperature, then store in the fridge. It will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Walnut Crumble - (Yield: 2 2/3 cups)
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup almond meal
1/3 cup raw walnut pieces
3 1/2 Tbsp sugar
3 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Make sure the oil is completely incorporated and the mixture resembles wet sand. Don’t be tempted to add more oil – it will all incorporate into the mixture.
3. Spread mixture out onto a sheet tray lined with either parchment paper or a silicone mat.
4. Bake 12-17 minutes, tossing mixture midway. It will be darker in color and the nuts will be fragrant.
5. Let cool completely at room temperature before packaging. Once cooled, store at room temperature in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to 3 weeks.
