Naturally Sweetened Lemon Butter

I love lemon butter. It's so yummy spread on scones or fresh bread.  It's tart and sweet at the same time, and the perfect base for tarts and fillings. It's creamy, rich and really satisfies a lemon craving.

My main dilemma with lemon butter is that it's normally packed full of refined, white sugar.  I knew I wanted to create a naturally sweetened lemon butter, but was concerned that it would taste like the lemon and honey tea I drink when I have the flu.

I started to experiment, and came up with an easy lemon butter recipe that fulfills lemon cravings, yet it is almost unrecognizable that it doesn't contain any white sugar.

Start with your lemons.  These beauties are local and fresh off the tree.

Squeeze the lemons.  I prefer just using my hand.  You could use a juicer or a juicing machine.  (To get more juice out of a lemon, microwave it for 20-30 seconds.  You'll get almost double the juice) You'll need 200 mls of fresh squeezed lemon juice (approx 3/4 cup).  

Strain the lemon juice to remove the seeds.  

In a medium saucepan, stir together 1 cup honey and 2 Tablespoons cornflour (corn starch) until smooth.  

Add lemon juice and 1/2 cup water.  Stir until combined.  

Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened.

Remove from heat.  Lightly beat 6 egg yolks.  Stir half the lemon mixture into the egg yolks, stirring immediately and briskly to ensure the eggs don't cook.  Return the mixture to the saucepan and return to heat.  Stir briskly over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil.  

Remove from heat. Cut 100 grams (1/3 cup) of butter in pieces and add to lemon mixture, stirring until combined.

Pour into a medium bowl, jars or mugs.  Cover the surface of the lemon butter with plastic wrap.  Place in refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 1 hour.

Serve the chilled lemon butter on scones with cream, on fresh bread or toast.  You can also use it as a base for lemon cream tarts (keep an eye out for the recipe, it's coming soon) or lemon tarts.  It's perfect for gift giving or addictive self-consumption.

Naturally Sweetened Lemon Butter

Yields 1 1/2 cups approximate

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup honey

2 Tablespoons cornflour (corn starch)

200 mls (approx 3/4 cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice

125 mls (1/2 cup) water

6 egg yolks, lightly beaten

100 grams butter, chopped

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, stir together honey and cornflour until combined.  
2. Add lemon juice and water, mixing well.  
3. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened.
4. Remove from heat.  Stir half the lemon mixture into the egg yolks, stirring immediately and briskly (to ensure the eggs don't cook).  Return the mixture to the saucepan and return to heat.  
5. Stir briskly over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil.  Remove from heat.
6. Add chopped butter, stirring until mixed through.
7. Pour into mugs and cover the surface with plastic wrap.  Place in refrigerator and chill for 1 hour minimum.
8. Transfer to an airtight glass container and store in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze for up to two months.  Defrost in refrigerator before serving. 

Enjoy!