Berry Parfaits with Orange-Lemon Curd

When making parfaits, don't forget to make them several hours in advance, to let the juices meld together.




I decided to make a slight substitution this time, and make an orange lemon curd, rather than a purely lemon curd. The final product had some unexpected properties. I noticed that the curd did not coagulate well towards the end, and I nearly overcooked the eggs in my effort to thicken the mixture.

My theory is that the oranges have a higher pH than the lemons, and the reduced orange acidity was not sufficient to denature the egg proteins, thus delaying the onset of protein denaturing. The delay had to be over-compensated by increased heat and mechanical agitation; therefore, coagulation and thickening of the curd was retarded.

Conclusion: For future curds, stick with lemons, but add a touch of orange zest.



But they're still tasty. =)