Meyer Lemons--Lemon Syrup, Dried Lemon Peels, and Lemon Curd

It all started off innocently enough. I began by making some juice blends from a new book I recently got. So I got out the juicer and all the veggies and fruit I bought the other day at Whole Foods...then I decided to make a smoothie, so I got out the Vitamix...then I noticed those bags of lemons sitting in the corner from a friend at church. Mmmm I thought, I'd better make something with those before they go bad on me...and so the day went. I never did get out of my pajamas until nearly 5:00; but there are all those pretty jars of canned lemon syrup and lemon curd and even some dried lemon peels to show for the day's efforts!

Lemon Syrup Recipe
4 cups of lemon juice
4 cups of water
6 1/2 cups of sugar
Zest of 5 lemons

Remove the zest from five lemons. To a medium, non-reactive pan add zest, water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Then add lemon juice and return too a boil.
Remove from heat and strain mixture through a fine sieve. Pour syrup into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 in. headspace and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
When making lemonade use one part syrup to four parts water. Pour over ice. So good!

Lemon Drop Spritzer
2 ounces of lemon syrup
2 ounces of vodka
bubble water

Don't throw away all those lemon peels! Turn the peels inside out and remove all the pith, chop them up and dry them in an oven on 110 degrees until crisp. These are great additions to teas...if you make your own mix! Hey...its cheaper!


Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add vodka and lemon syrup. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker feels nice and cold. Strain liquid into an ice fill old-fashioned glass and top with a splash of bubble water.

Lemon Curd
I will start off by saying that many recipes, that will be canned, say that you need to use store bought lemon juice because the acidity is not known otherwise, but many people online seemed to think this is not necessary, making their own canned curd for years with not trouble. I decided to risk it too.

2 1/2 cups of superfine sugar (I put my regular organic evaporated cane juice in a food processor and whisked it around for a few minutes)
1/2 cup lemon zest
1 cup of lemon juice
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
7 large egg yolks (Note: what to do with all those egg whites? Angel Food Cake!)
4 large whole eggs

1. Sterilize jars by filling canner 1-2 inches above jars with water. Bring to a boil and boil for ten minutes. Keep the jars in canner until ready to fill.
2. Process the lids in a small pan the same as jars.
3. Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl, stir to mix, and set aside about 30 minutes.
4. Squeezed lemons and measure 1 cup of juice.
5. Heat water in the bottom pan of the double boiler until it boils gently. The water should not boil vigorously or touch bottom of pan.
6. In the top of the double-boiler, on the counter top, whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs together until thoroughly mixed. Slowly whisk in the sugar and zest, blending until well mixed and smooth. Blend in the lemon juice and then add the butter pieces to the mixture.
7. Place the top of the double boiler over boiling water. Stir gently but continuously with a wooden spoon to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of pan. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a temperature of 170 degrees. 
8. Remove the double boiler pan from stove and place on counter and stir gently for another 5 minutes.
9. Fill hot jar with curd into half-pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with dampened, clean paper towel; apply the metal canning lids.
10. Check the temperature of the water in canner, it should be about 180 degrees before putting jars in. Process jars for about 15 minutes if your altitude is less than 1,000 feet; 20 minutes if you are between 1,00 and 6,000 feet; 25 minutes if you are above 6,000 feet.