No-Bake Lemon Custards With Strawberries
- Total Time
- 35 minutes, plus chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2cups heavy cream
- ⅔cup granulated sugar
- 2teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 1 to 2 lemons)
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- ⅓cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
- 1cup sliced strawberries
- 1 to 2teaspoons granulated sugar
- Freshly ground black pepper, for serving
For the Custards
For the Strawberry Topping
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
372 calories; 29 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 27 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 47 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a medium saucepan, combine cream, sugar, lemon zest and salt over medium-high heat. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. Simmer vigorously until mixture thickens slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Step 2
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let sit until mixture has cooled slightly and a skin forms on top, about 20 minutes.
- Step 3
Stir mixture, then strain through fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup with a spout; discard zest. Pour mixture evenly into six 6-ounce ramekins or small bowls.
- Step 4
Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least 3 hours.
- Step 5
As the custards chill, prepare the strawberry topping: Toss strawberries and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Let fruit macerate at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the sugar is dissolved.
- Step 6
To serve, top each lemon custard with some strawberry topping and grind black pepper on top.
Private Notes
Comments
You're recipe only makes 1 cup of custard rather than 2, so I guess that's one way to reduce the fat. Or maybe a better way for anyone who cares about the fat content, just dump a scoop of lemon yogurt into a bowl and top with berries, and you can pretend it resembles this custard. The better alternative, of course, is to stop obsessing about fat content and enjoy this simple and good desert.
Amazing. A recipe with only four ingredients, and almost all of the questions are about substituting ingredients! I'd say that probably all of the ingredients are required for it to set and/or taste sweet, because puddings, jellies, and flans are tricky bits of biochemistry that rely on coagulations of proteins and/or lipids. But it wouldn't be too hard to try with your coconut milk or apple juice or whatever; but expect to have a sweet soup rather than a pudding. Perhaps you'll be surprised.
This is nearly identical to a recipe I learned at Riad Laroussa in Fez, Morocco in the spring. We stirred the lemon juice into the cream as soon as it was removed from the stove, stirring quickly. It did not curdle, just thickened. We didn’t strain out the lemon zest. In fact we sprinkled some more on top before refrigerating it. We served it plain, without the fruit topping. It is delicious just like that. I’ve made it several times since—it’s really easy and rewarding.
Melissa Clark has created another perfect dessert. I enjoy playing around, but I wouldn't change one thing.
I wonder if some of the people who complain about the serving size may have simmered the custard too long - it really only needs to thicken a bit and sets completely when chilled.
Cut the lemons in half lengthwise, scoop out the flesh, pour the custard into the lemon halves rather than ramekins for a stunning presentation. Put a sprig of fresh or sugared mint leaves on top.